Wilcze gniazdo by Jacek Komuda

Wilcze gniazdo Reviews

• 
  Michał Rodziewicz

  I should repeat what I have wrote in my previous review:
  I admit I had a really hard time with this review. Or more accurately with all reviews of books by Komuda. I honestly can't remember when was the last time when I was so tempted to give four or five stars to a book immediately after I've read it. And not only this book, I mean every single one that I have read so far! And I am done with nine already, trying to lay my hands on more. That is simply unbelievable. Think of Pilipiuk for a second, he will write a good book and then follow it up with a couple of really rubbish ones. Komuda on the other hand works like a clockwork, spot on every single time! That is seriously amazing, and it works both for the single book stories, short stories, and the epic four-volume story of the Moscow adventure.
  Let me start with the author, he is a historian, he knows his area of expertise, you can feel it. You know it immediately as he starts throwing details of the world he is writing about in your face. You just instinctively feel that he must have done a proper job at reading and studying and researching this time period. He is also helpful and in his is books you will find a detail, often funny, explanation of things that may not be clear at first. Be it weapons, architecture of the XVII century, law, anything really.
  But the important part of it is that he can actually use his extensive knowledge with a clear purpose in mind. He does not want just to show off, he uses it wisely to create a credible, real to the bone, picture of that times. Its raw, true, often cruel, sometimes beautiful. Apart from Sapkowski, who in his “Trylogia Husycka” managed to do something similar, I do not know an author who could have achieve that.
  As far as the language goes I am charmed. How often do you get this feeling that every single word is right where it should be? Again you just get that sense that he carefully planned every single sentence, and you develop respect for his work. This is not some “let quickly write and quickly publish” nonsense. This is proper writing. And if you keep in mind that he has done that in every single book, that he did not rush anything, that he took his time and did the “writer's heavy lifting” you can only be amazed as I was.
  As for the story and characters I really don't want to say anything. I value them so much, I've enjoyed them so much, that to utter a single word is to deprive you of the fun that I had!
  There is only one thing for it. I strongly recommend that you read these books. I really do mean it.
• 
  Filip

  I remember reading a couple of Komuda's books some years ago and liking them. I don't know if my tastes have changed or if this was a really poor one.
  
  It starts well enough, but quickly goes downhill. The protagonist has almost no agency, just keeps travelling from place to place, narrowly escaping people who are after him. Whenever he gets into trouble someone rescues him. When he finally begins to rebuild his new estate, I hoped things would become more interesting but this plot gets cut off almost immediately, giving way to a truly atrocious ending, which makes it seem as if the author got bored with writing and wanted to finish the book as soon as possible. All the characters - perhaps with one exception - are completely bland
  and flat. And don't get me started on the romantic plot arc.
  
  At some 80% mark I began praying to Cthulhu for this book to be finally over (and put the speed of the audiobook to 150%). So why not one star if the book was that bad? Because of the one saving grace the book has. To give credit where credit is due, Komuda knows what he's writing about, he is well-versed in this historical period and it shows. He can vividly paint a picture of how life looked back then, making it all seem very believable. If only the plot and characters were better...
• 
  Jan

  To mój drugi "komuda" i wrażenia mam średnie. O ile bardzo podobał mi się język książki, o tyle rozwój postaci, akcji itp. pozostawia sporo do życzenia. Książka jest na tyle ciekawa aby sięgnąć po następnego "komudę", acz na tyle licha aby nie polecać jej kupna. Warta rzucenia nań okiem jeśli znajdzie się ją w pociągu :)
• 
  Anna

  Stories about Ukraine and Poland in 17th century. If Henryk Sienkiewicz was writing in 21th century, he would be writing like Jacek Komuda. No other writer can produce a novel with such a pietism for details and engagement about Poland of gentry and nobility in 17th century. - Jacek Piekara.
• 
  Anna

  "-Panie Boże Wszechmogący, czy jak ci tam... - zaczął. - Odpuść mi niegodnemu, a i racz przyjąć do piekła dusze tych oto hultajów. Sam widzisz, żem nie ze złej woli, jeno w obronie koniecznej to uczynił. Zresztą, szelmy to byli i ladaca. Niewiele, Panie, miałbyś z nich pociechy. ".