VictoryThe water is crystal clear. The sun is blazing. And there’s death on the horizon. Set at the turn of the 20th century, "Victory" takes place in the Dutch East Indies, now Indonesia. Its tortured hero is Axel Heyst, a loner whose empty life is turned around when he meets the beautiful musician Lena. They fall in love, but there’s danger looming. A trio of violent desperadoes are headed to their island, convinced that Heyst has a stash of hidden treasure. A sun-drenched psychological thriller, "Victory" was one of Conrad’s most commercially successful novels. And one that still shimmers with his masterful style and narrative rule-breaking. Joseph Conrad (1857–1924) was a Polish-British writer who left an indelible mark on world literature. After leaving Poland in his teens, Conrad spent years in the French and British merchant marines. His time at sea would inspire much of his writing. Rich in symbolism and rhythmic prose, his books often grapple with the horrors of European colonialism. His most famous story is "Heart of Darkness", an adventure set on the Congo River. Decades later, the movie "Apocalypse Now" updated the story to the Vietnam War. Conrad’s other works include the novels "Lord Jim", "Nostromo" and "The Secret Agent". |
From inside the book
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... doors of the Temple of Janus flying open with a crash shook the minds, the hearts, the consciences of men all over the world. Such coincidence could not be treated lightly. And I made up my mind to let the word stand, in the same ...
... doors of the Temple of Janus flying open with a crash shook the minds, the hearts, the consciences of men all over the world. Such coincidence could not be treated lightly. And I made up my mind to let the word stand, in the same ...
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... doors opened on to it, but all the screens were down. Not a soul was in sight, not even a China boy—nothing but a lot of painted iron chairs and tables. Solitude, shade, and gloomy silence—and a faint, treacherous breeze which came from ...
... doors opened on to it, but all the screens were down. Not a soul was in sight, not even a China boy—nothing but a lot of painted iron chairs and tables. Solitude, shade, and gloomy silence—and a faint, treacherous breeze which came from ...
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... door, looking out, affected perfect indifference. He could not keep it up, though. Suddenly he turned inward and asked with brusque rage: “You wanted to see him?” “Why, yes,” said Davidson. “We agreed to meet—” “Don't you bother. He ...
... door, looking out, affected perfect indifference. He could not keep it up, though. Suddenly he turned inward and asked with brusque rage: “You wanted to see him?” “Why, yes,” said Davidson. “We agreed to meet—” “Don't you bother. He ...
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... door somewhere at his back opened, and a woman came in who was looked upon as Schomberg's wife, no doubt with truth. As somebody remarked cynically once, she was too unattractive to be anything else. The opinion that he treated her ...
... door somewhere at his back opened, and a woman came in who was looked upon as Schomberg's wife, no doubt with truth. As somebody remarked cynically once, she was too unattractive to be anything else. The opinion that he treated her ...
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... door opening on to the “piazza.” It paused, then went on in the same low pitch: “There was even one English girl.” “Poor devil!”—said Davidson, “I suppose these women are not much better than slaves really. Was that fellow with the dyed ...
... door opening on to the “piazza.” It paused, then went on in the same low pitch: “There was even one English girl.” “Poor devil!”—said Davidson, “I suppose these women are not much better than slaves really. Was that fellow with the dyed ...
Contents
Section 22 | |
Section 23 | |
Section 24 | |
Section 25 | |
Section 26 | |
Section 27 | |
Section 28 | |
Section 29 | |
Section 9 | |
Section 10 | |
Section 11 | |
Section 12 | |
Section 13 | |
Section 14 | |
Section 15 | |
Section 16 | |
Section 17 | |
Section 18 | |
Section 19 | |
Section 20 | |
Section 21 | |
Section 30 | |
Section 31 | |
Section 32 | |
Section 33 | |
Section 34 | |
Section 35 | |
Section 36 | |
Section 37 | |
Section 38 | |
Section 39 | |
Section 40 | |
Section 41 | |
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Common terms and phrases
answer appeared arms asked believe better boat bungalow chair Chinaman clear close coming course dark Davidson don’t door doubt existence expected expression eyes face fact feeling feet fellow felt gave girl give glance gone governor hand head hear heard Heyst hold island Jones keep knew leaving Lena light lips living looked manner matter mean mind Morrison moved movement murmured mysterious nature never night observed once passed Pedro perhaps raised reason remained remarked Ricardo round Schomberg seemed seen shoulders side sight silence smile sort sound speak steps stopped strange suddenly suppose surprised talk tell There’s thing thought told tone took trouble turned understand veranda voice waited walked Wang watched whispered woman wonder