Sternberg

War and peace, revolution and counter-revolution. The old order and the birth of a new world.

The second in the series of early novels and short stories by Szczepan Twardoch.

Vienna, late 18th century. Revolution is just around the corner. Two aristocrats from the Sternberg family, brothers Carl and Alexander, stand shoulder to shoulder to fight the uncontrollable mob. And although they are triumphant, victory is combined with the bitter taste of defeat. The Emperor is overthrown, the aristocracy slaughtered, the Poles relentlessly revolt and Austria is plunged into fierce fighting with the Russians…

Sternberg is not only a bold and ambitious novel, but above all a collage of all European revolutions. After fighting together, the paths of the Sternberg brothers diverge. Carl enters the realm of political, while Alexander becomes a partisan. Amid the backdrop of epochal events, human dramas unfold – small stories woven into the vast tapestry of History. From the old order, a new world is born.

‘Sternberg is Szczepan Twardoch’s debut novel. It already hints at the Author’s commitment to thorough research – visible, for instance, in the detailed portrayal of weapons. But will you find here the voice of a writer who will pen his most famous novels in just a few years’ time? Opinions are divided – I lean towards the one of Łukasz Orbitowski, who wrote in the context of Sternberg that it is evident that “Twardoch organically feels history. No one can rewrite it like he can, and his language is akin to a wizard’s wand giving life to characters and events.” ’
Krzysztof Łęcki (afterword)

The description comes from the publisher’s website.