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1772 - 1797 A Peasant Boy Grows to be a Man in one of the Most Incredible Periods of World History
This twenty-five year period was one of the most eventful in world history, with three major and most remarkable changes to the status quo. First, in North America, the American Colonists successfully wrest their independence from Britain, with France shortly afterwards tearing itself asunder in the bloodiest Revolution Europe had, up until that time, ever faced. Finally, further east, the Empires of Russia, Prussia and Austria consume the independent Commonwealth of Poland-Lithuania in three criminal partitions.
All the while, a peasant boy born amidst the snowy fields of an estate near the town of Wieliczka, just south of Kraków, grows to become a man. His father works in the salt mines, and his mother as a servant in the Duke's manor house. As Marek grows, he dreams only of three things: the past power of the once feared Polish Winged Hussars; to one day ride into battle as an Uhlan cavalier for his country; and to gain the hand in marriage of his beloved Maya Manuska.
This novel is rich in characters from the fictional Marek, his conflicted mother Magda, the greedy Szlachta Duke Sdanowicz, and the Austrian Count Maximilian Von Arndt to the historical figures of Catherine the Great of Russia, Frederick the Great of Prussia, and Maria Theresa of Austria. Also, the Europeans who were to crucial in the success of America's Revolution - Casmir Pułaski, Tadeusz Kościuszko, and the Marquis de LaFayette - are all here as well. Marek Zaczek Vol. 1 guarantees an exciting and memorable read that will keep you on the edge of whatever seat you most enjoy reading in!
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Goodreads review of Marek Zaczek Vol. 1
by Curtis Urness, Author of the novel "Stars and Crosses"
5 0ut of 5 Stars
A son is born to a peasant woman, a victim of rape, in 1772 during the time of the first Partition of Poland by neighboring powers Russia, Prussia, and Austria. His lot is to live in Galicia, ceded to the Austrian Empire. While the Austrian rule is for the most part lenient, Marek's situation is bleak. His family lives on the manor of a tyrannical nobleman who oversees the region's vast salt mines. Marek's father must labor underground for days at a time, while his mother must avoid the wiles of her attacker as she still works under his supervision. The novel follows young Marek from his childhood through early adulthood, during an era when historical changes are altering the composition of Europe.
The Life of Marek Zaczek; Part I, by David Trawinski, evokes that time vividly. Part romance, part Greek drama, and part epic adventure, the author skillfully leads his hero through family misfortune, a budding but doomed romance, power plays by the Austrian and Polish nobility, and the politics leading to the final dissolution of Poland as a sovereign state in the Third Partition. Trawinski's knowledge of European history is vast and presented in an interesting way.
Yet, it is the memorable characters that make this book such a pleasure to read. Marek is buffeted about by circumstances of which he isn't even cognizant, but shines forth with integrity, faith, and a commitment to honor. Magda, his mother, is central to the story; in many ways the novel is as much about her as it is about Marek. She harbors many deep secrets and unrealistic guilt that hinder her from achieving happiness. Yet, she is charitable to those who misuse her, while being clever enough to turn their traps back on themselves. Marek's father, Bronisław is a simple and loving man, a true salt of the earth. The aristocratic, young Maya is deeply in love with Marek, but the class distinction between them, as well as factors hidden from both, make their romance impossible. The two nobleman who figure prominently in the story, Polish Duke Sdanowicz and Austrian Count Von Arndt come across as complex but crafty villains.
If I can find fault with anything in this book, it is that the first chapter has some stylistic problems with tense and point-of-view. That does not detract from the verve and detail of the chapter in any significant way. The patient reader who find his way past this is rewarded by masterful writing and plot twists that draw him deep into a world both exciting and emotionally satisfying.
Having finished Part I, I can barely wait for Part II of The Life of Marek Zaczek to make its appearance.
Curtis Urness,
Author of the novel "Stars and Crosses"
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