Amulet; Saint; Page of Gustavus Adolphus

Conrad Ferdinand Meyer (1825–1898) was an outstanding Swiss poet and master of the historical novella. He came to literature relatively late, but his work quickly took one of the central places in European prose of the 19th century. Meyer knew how to combine artistic fiction with genuine historical coloring, revealing the dramas of human passions against the backdrop of turning points in eras. His works are distinguished by subtle psychologism, a tense plot, and the depth of moral conflicts.

This edition includes three significant stories by the writer:

"Amulet" is the story of the German Protestant Hans Schadau, who hired a mysterious vagabond from Bohemia, a brilliant swordsman, as his bodyguard. But the further the plot develops, the clearer it becomes: this man keeps a dark secret and himself becomes a source of mortal danger.

"The Saint" is a tragic chronicle of the life and death of Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury. He was once the closest ally of King Henry II, but political ambitions and the insurmountable confrontation between the authorities and the church led them to a bloody end.

"The Page of Gustavus Adolphus" takes the reader to Nuremberg in the 17th century, during the Thirty Years' War. The son of a wealthy merchant unexpectedly finds himself in the retinue of the Swedish King Gustav II Adolphus. The young hero will have to go through the trials of war, loyalty and mortal danger, becoming a witness to the greatness and tragedy of the era.

These works by Meyer, saturated with drama and historical accuracy, represent the pinnacle of the historical novel genre and remain relevant evidence of the struggle between faith, power and human destiny.