The Deluge Volume I was a great experience and a walk through the 17th century Poland during the Swedish invasion of 1655-1657. While reading Volume I of The Deluge and after reading With Fire and Sword - the first book in Henryk Sienkiewicz's Trilogy - in W. S. Kuniczak's modern translation, I was reminded of Leo Tolstoy's War and Peace, which happens to be my favorite book of all time. The first two books of this trilogy are very close seconds. When you read books like these where the characters are emblazon in your conscience and the writing transports you from your world into the story that he is telling, you are meeting every character and living and personally experiencing every adventure as you are walking with them. Volume I was such an experience that I can't wait to start Volume II as soon as I finish this review.
The Deluge is a love story between a man and a woman, and also a love story between men and their country. It is also a story of deception and betrayal and of loyalties kept and broken. Of the king of Poland who is fighting for his survival and the survival of his nation. While he is being attacked and defeated by Russia and The Khmelnytsky Cossacks and the Swedish Deluge (invasion) and the treasonous acts of high ranking nobles and government officials by switching allegiances and surrendering their domains and their subjects to the king of Sweden.
The Deluge Volume I begins about the time of the Sedish invasion, where we are introduced to the historical chapters such as Janusz and Boguslaw Radziwill, cousins and both Polish-Lithuanian nobles, who betray their king and surrender and switch their allegiance to the Swedish King.
And the fictional characters of Andrei Kmiti and the beautiful olenka and their love story that is wrought with obstacles an crimes committed by Andrei who is a brave and courageous soldier who loses his way a few times and finally finds his true north. There are other fictional characters that are loyal to thier king, who will inspire you by their loyalty, decency and courage and bravery.
Volume I ends during the siege of the sacred monastery of Jasna Gora defended by the valiant Father kordetzky and Andrei Kmiti and Pan Pyotr Tcharnyetzky. If you love to read historical fiction, you have to read this book.
On a personal note, I try Not to give away to much in my reviews about the meat of the story, I try to give enough so that you will want to read it yourself and discover all of the fruits for yourself
The Deluge Volume II
Volume II takes us from the Siege of the sacred monastery Yasna Gora by the Swedish General Mueller and the defense of the monastery and withdrawal by the Swedish after their only big siege gun was blown up by Kmiti/Babaneck and his capture and eventual escape. This is the beginning of the end of the Swedish occupation of the Polish Commonwealth. The author is a great story teller, this historical fiction at its best. The battles are realistic and historically accurate. There are fiction characters that play a major role in every battle, under the command of the historical characters who are true to history. If you are a history buff, you probably already know the outcome of the war, if not, then I don't know a better way to find out than to read the book.