Marek Zaczek 3 - The Precipice of Peace and Petals of the Christmas Rose
These Courageous Souls Taught The World That Poland
Never Wavered In Its Resistance
Clay and Deekie in "Petals of the Christmas Rose
Marek Żaczek 3 Now Available
Thanks to everyone for being so patient. "The Life of Marek Zaczek Volume 3: The Precipice of Peace" is here as Napoleon comes to Poland to engage the Prussians, Russians, and, of course, his lovely Polish conquest, the Countess Marie Waleska!
Also, our third Clay and Deekie novel is available in time for the holiday
"The Untouched"
A Texas Western with a surprising Polish Twist!
A young Polish girl, Kalina, from Panna Maria, Texas, is taken from a stage coach. Her impetuous brother Piotr strikes out in search of her. Cord McCullough is hired to save the boy before he gets himself killed, but after meeting his beautiful Ciocci Mieczysława (Aunt Midge), Cord decides to save the "Untouched" one.
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"The Life of Marek Zaczek Volume 3: The Precipice of Peace"
Review from November 2025 Polish American Journal
Reviewed by Polish-American Author Catherine Hamilton
David Trawinski has done it again! He has written another impeccable historical novel. In The Life of Marek Zaczek – Volume 3: The Precipice of Peace, Trawinski brings to life the awe-inspiring bravery of both heroes and heroines who love their country. Based on real life characters, fictional
legends, and historical events. This book masterfully intertwines a war
story, a love story, and a tumultuous family drama—revealing unexpected treats and tragedies in a powerful wartime setting. Napoleon’s Grande Armée is reinforced by men of the Polish Lancers, including the likes of Marek Zaczek. Witness soldiers on horseback charge across the battlefields and across the page, from the deadly winter Battle of Eylau, to the Siege of Danzig, the battles along theAlle River, and the summertime
Battle of Friedland.
Warsaw—January 1807
Napoleon Bonaparte
The story opens in Warsawin 1807, along the Vistula River, where thecapital of Poland hosts their beloved Napoleon Bonaparte. Here, in Volume 3, Napoleon fights the combined armies of Prussia and Russia on lands historically belonging to the Poles. During the harsh January winter, the promised security of Napoleon’s Grande Armée to free Poland from its enemies is wavering. The frosty cold and painful hunger strip even the best of soldiers of dignity and restraint—pillage and plunder quickly prevails.
And, unbeknownst to Napoleon, who was busy wooing the Countess Marie Walewska, the Russians plan a sneak attack that threatens the weak left flank of Bonaparte’s army. But the sometimes insolent Marshall Ney of Napoleon’s top ranks might just save Bonaparte’s troops camped along the Vistula River. That is, if Marek Zaczek can break Napoleon away from dinner with the Countess long enough togive him the urgent news.
Marek Zaczek
The battle-worn hero and Polish Lancer in this three volume
series, 34-year-old Marek Zaczek wrestles with crippling nightmares,
and an unraveling personal life. A shocking revelation of dark family secrets, hidden from him since birth, are revealed by a spiteful aunt while Marek is on Christmas leave—a revelation that drives a wedge between Marek, his mother and his wife. Marek turns his back on his family and vows never to see them again. However, upon his return to Warsaw and his comrades at arms, Marek directs his focus to soldiering and his destiny takes a fortunate twist. This is precisely whenNapoleon’s Marshall Ney chooses Marek to ride alongside him as his personal guide. And shortly after, to accompany Napoleon himself. In less than a month, during the deadly two-day Battle of Eylau, Marek Zaczek is assigned to Napoleon’s
Imperial Guard’s Calvery advanced unit—a detail unit protecting the field headquarters while the Emperor carries out his surprise counterattack to smash the Russian army’s rear flank! On February 7, 1807, Marek has a brush with death on the battlefield. Trawinski writes: “a major life or death battle was taking place within the cemetery among the headstones…. The
skies began to unrelentingly pelt driving snow…. creating a crystalline silence pierced only by the pathetic intermittent low moans of the wounded combatants from both sides as they lay exposed to the darkening fields around Eylau!”
Countess Marie Walewska
The dramatic and enticing story of the lovely young countess Marie Walewska, who had, at a very young age, married Count Athanasius Walewski, a wealthy aristocrat who was more than 70 years old;
the unlikely nuptial was arranged by Marie’s mother and brother, strictly for financial reasons. Marie carries out her wifely duties with grace and dignity. But it is no surprise that her beauty catches the eye of Napoleon Bonaparte. Napoleon quickly makes it known that he wishes to meet the countess. It is then that her husband, the count, and other lords and noblemen of Poland pressure her to accept a rendezvous with Napoleon, if only to coyly convince him to wage abattle against the Russians, Prussians, and Austrians in order to free Poland once again. And if need be,she should do more. As much as she loved Poland, and wished her nation free from
its captors, the chaste (at least for now) Countess Marie repeatedly refuses to meet in private with Napoleon. At last, when her husbandinsists she meet with Napoleon, she cautiously agrees. These ongoing “meetings” soon become the monumental romantic trope of this historical narrative. Although historians document the romantic liaison, Trawinski brings us into the castles, palaces, and bedchambers, where lovers whisper their secret desires.
The Niemen River—July 1807
Napoleon achieves at least one of his goals, that of meeting the Tsar
of Russia. The clever Bonaparte arranges for a raft to be set afloat in the middle of the Neiman River, and it is there that the two men sign the Peace of Tilsit on July 7, 1807. But is Napoleon’s Peace of Tilsit and his creation of the Grand Duchy of Warsaw enough to satisfy the Poles? Will the lovely Countess of Poland leave behind what she is so accustomed to and follow after love? Does Marek Zaczek and his estranged mother survive the
deadly assault from his vindictive and villainess aunt; the unraveling vendetta and schism created by the death of Marek’s twin cousins?
Read this narrative historical fiction and find out for yourself!
Complete with maps of the battlefield, Cossacks, Lancers, and
dialogues between the emperor and his generals, his wife and his mistress, this book reveals unforgettable and little known Napoleonic battles in 19th century Poland. Prolific and well-known Polish author and historian, Trawinski’s storytelling will amaze and dazzle you. I highly recommend this book to lovers of history and historical fiction.
"GUNS OF THE YELLOW ROSE"
THE SECOND CLAY AND DEEKIE NOVEL!!!
The year is 1873, and Clay and Deekie take up with a flamboyant gambler and travel to Memphis, Tennessee. Once there, Clay takes advantage of their location to take the Old Butterfield Overland Stage Coach to. Fort Worth and search for his missing "Diddy".
"The Twins of Narvik, Parts I & II"
A Texas billionaire's dying mother claims to have given birth to twin sons who later fought in World War II. Is this shocking family revelation real, or a manifestation of her dementia? Diane Sterling and her team are called in to investigate, and she uncovers a story stretching back to 1912, involving three international families who become entangled in fighting the Nazi invasion in Arctic Norway.
Polish American Journal Reviews of "The Life of Marek Zaczek Volume I: Under the Wings of Eagles"
Book Review by Mary E. Lanham from December 2020
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POLISH AMERICAN JOURNAL REVIEW by Barbara Betlejewska
May-June 2021 Issue
THE TWINS OF NARVIK, PART I (Abridged Review)
The Twins of Narvik is a mystery split into two alternating-but interwoven tales, cleverly wrapped around a World War I-II history lesson. The time period of Part I is 1912 to 1939, told from a present-day viewpoint. This book is part of Trawinski’s Churchill Trilogy. Quotes from Winston Churchill are sprinkled throughout the book.
Trawinski has a natural talent to keep one turning the pages to find out what happens next.
If you like war books with intel ops, you will like this mystery... but you'll still find plenty of "chick flick" material. Romance, family secrets, interpersonal relations, mental illness, DNA identifying lost relatives, father/son difficulties, the avoidable problems caused by excess wealth, power, money, adventure - it's all there. And as I said earlier, Trawinski has a natural talent to keep you turning ages to find out just how his clues interconnect to solve the mystery.
Barbara Betlejewska
Polish American Journal
May-June 2021
Purchase Part I and Part II here!
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Polish American Journal Review By Mary E. Lanham
Women Shine in Trawinski's "The Life of Marek Zaczek"
Set against the backdrop of late eighteenth-century Poland, is the first volume of "The Life of Marek Zaczek" by well-known Polish American author David Trawinski. In this volume, the protagonist comes of age during the turbulent times of the partitions of Poland.
Born into a peasant's life on the estate of a duke, Marek Zaczek seems fated to work in a salt mine. As he grows up watching the duke's horses, he develops s love for the animals and soon has his heart set on working with them. As he matures, he becomes infatuated with the idea of becoming like the great winged Hussars.
Marek has aspirations that are above his station, but what he doesn't know about his origins would change his world forever. Marek's mother keeps secrets from him that will turn their lives and the lives of his grandparents upside-down and inside-out. Magda,as his mother is known, is the daughter of a noble couple who were exiled to Russia. The other secret is the truth of Marek's parentage, which she cannot bring herself to reveal to him.
The novel illustrates the cruel way some nobles exerted their power over the peasants that worked their land. The duke viewed the peasants on his estate as his property, which Magda bravely contradicts. Although this novel focuses on Marek, the women in the book, especially Magda, shine as resilient characters as they rally against the hardships they are forced to endure at the hands of men.
To give a larger view of the tumultuous times, Trawinski has the characters of the duke and Count Von Arndt, an acquaintance of the duke, discuss and expound upon the changing world order. With this, the author sets the stage for his cast of assorted characters.
Mary E. Lanham
Polish American Journal
December 2020