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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... felt that she would be heroically equal to every demand of the risky and uncertain future. I was so convinced of it that I let her go with Heyst, I won't say without a pang but certainly without misgivings. And in view of her triumphant ...
... felt that she would be heroically equal to every demand of the risky and uncertain future. I was so convinced of it that I let her go with Heyst, I won't say without a pang but certainly without misgivings. And in view of her triumphant ...
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... felt the snapping strain on his recovered self-possession. Heyst was beginning to say that he “could very well see all the bearings of this unfortunate—”when Morrison interrupted him jerkily. “Upon my word, I don't know why I have been ...
... felt the snapping strain on his recovered self-possession. Heyst was beginning to say that he “could very well see all the bearings of this unfortunate—”when Morrison interrupted him jerkily. “Upon my word, I don't know why I have been ...
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... felt inclined to do, Morrison stretched out his hand, which Heyst grasped with formal alacrity and a polite murmur in which “Trifle—delighted—of service,” could just be distinguished. “Miracles do happen,” thought the awestruck Morrison ...
... felt inclined to do, Morrison stretched out his hand, which Heyst grasped with formal alacrity and a polite murmur in which “Trifle—delighted—of service,” could just be distinguished. “Miracles do happen,” thought the awestruck Morrison ...
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... felt acutely his defect. Consummate politeness is not the right tonic for an emotional collapse. They must have had, both of them, a fairly painful time of it in the cabin of the brig. In the end Morrison, casting desperately for an ...
... felt acutely his defect. Consummate politeness is not the right tonic for an emotional collapse. They must have had, both of them, a fairly painful time of it in the cabin of the brig. In the end Morrison, casting desperately for an ...
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... felt sorry for the eighteen lady-performers. He knew what that sort of life was like, the sordid conditions and brutal incidents of such tours led by such Zangiacomos who often were anything but musicians by profession. While he was ...
... felt sorry for the eighteen lady-performers. He knew what that sort of life was like, the sordid conditions and brutal incidents of such tours led by such Zangiacomos who often were anything but musicians by profession. While he was ...
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