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The Adventures of Conrad Stargard [1] is a series of time travel novels written by the Polish American writer Leo Frankowski. In them, a Polish engineer named Conrad Schwartz is sent back in time to the 13th century where he has to establish himself and cope with various crises including the eventual Mongol invasion of Poland in 1240. [2] [3]
The character of Conrad Stargard has at times been described as a Mary Sue, and some aspects of the novels can be looked at as authorial wish-fulfillment. In response to this criticism in an early draft of the first book, Frankowski modified the character to have the opposite traits as himself, such as Conrad's socialism and devout Catholicism. [4]
The series originally consisted of four books, with a fifth released shortly after to wrap up loose ends:
All of the original books were originally published by Del Rey Books, and released by Baen Books in later runs.
In late 2005, Frankowski self-published Lord Conrad's Crusade after a dispute with Baen.[ citation needed ] The final book in the series, Conrad's Last Campaign, was published in 2014—eight years after the author's death. Those two books were co-authored with Rodger Olsen [5] .
Frankowski also wrote two books set in the same universe as the original series but not featuring the main character Conrad:
Two omnibus editions of this series have been published by Baen Books:
Four additional Conrad Stargard Novels were roughly outlined/rough drafted, with notes and brainstorming ideas, but were never finished or published due to the author's death. Additionally, there was to be a separate tie-in with Leo's first novel Copernick's Rebellion to the "Adventures of Conrad Stargard".
During the series Conrad Stargard, a Polish engineer, travels through time to 1231 Poland. Using his knowledge of future events and technology, Stargard creates a new timeline in which a technologically advanced Poland becomes the dominant power in thirteenth-century Europe and Stargard himself is the most powerful man in Poland (though he chooses not to dethrone the King).
The main character Conrad Stargard is a Polish engineer from the year 1986. After getting drunk and falling asleep in a time machine, he is transported back in time to thirteenth-century Poland, the year 1231. Conrad, familiar with Poland's history, knows that in 10 years the Mongols will arrive and kill most of the population of Europe. After befriending a local monk, Father Ignacy, who convinces him he is indeed in an earlier era, and a failed attempt at becoming a scribe, he takes a job as a bodyguard to a merchant. He meets a number of minor characters who figure in later books, such as the boatman Tadaos, and winds up working for Count Lambert, a relative of the Duke who rules over much of Poland. Due to his skill at arms and mercy in saving the infant of bandits he had slain, he impresses the local count, Count Lambert. It is discovered at this point that Conrad's "amazing warhorse" and "superb weapons" were all planted by his distant cousin who invented the time-machines and wished to help Conrad. However, due to causality, Conrad cannot be simply removed from the past, but he can be "assisted". After improving Count Lambert's industrial base by building a cloth factory and multipurpose windmill, Conrad is eventually granted land on which he can build his industrial base to defend Poland. [6] [7]
Conrad, now using the name Stargard because his correct name sounds too German, works to bring Poland into some advanced technology in order to meet the imminent threat of the 1241 Mongol invasion. This book details the travails that occur as Conrad attempts to establish the industrial base that he will need for his planned defense of Poland. He also establishes the thirteenth century equivalent to the Playboy Club, builds a new city, gains several new lovers and elevates his status in the ruling hierarchy of the country. [8]
The third book deals with Conrad's establishment of an official Polish army using 20th century training techniques he learned during his service as an officer in the Polish Air Force. Conrad creates an army of 150,000 highly-trained soldiers, while Twentieth Century techniques disturb Thirteenth Century society. By the end of the book, he has been elevated from knight to baron. [9]
This book covers the four years prior to Mongol invasion. Conrad begins a relationship with Countess Francine, the French-born paramour of the murdered Duke Henryk. He establishes a riverboat navy and an air force. Lambert tries to force Conrad to marry his daughter, threatening to strip him of his lands and title if he refuses. Disgusted, Conrad decides to leave Poland and travel alone to France. He stops to visit Francine, who convinces him to marry her and resume his position. After the wedding, a council of war is called by young Duke Henryk (son of the murdered duke). Count Conrad disagrees with the duke's battle plans, as they would require him to abandon his own lands and withdraw west to Legnica, where his infantry could not maneuver effectively without the steamboats and railroads he built. Other lords of Poland's eastern lands are likewise opposed the duke's idea, but to disobey would be high treason. Conrad ends up fighting the war by himself. After returning to the Warriors' School to finish preparations for the war, he enlists the aid of Count Lambert, the commander of Eagle Nest where they have created scout aircraft, in his treason. Lambert readily agrees, believing Conrad to be answering to a higher authority. Count Lambert forces Conrad to divert his efforts into creating an air force. The Mongols invade, with tens of thousands dead on all sides. The war starts with the battle of the Vistula and finishes with the slaughter of the Mongols at the battle of Sandomierz, apparently ending the war and also ending the book.
The fifth book serves to tie up loose ends from The Flying Warlord. Conrad has successfully defeated the Mongols, but must now piece together the various parts of Poland. Although he keeps refining his technological advances, the majority of his time is spent establishing Poland as the primary social, economic, technological and military country of the region (and soon to be the world). Political intrigue abounds as various factions (including his wife) try to chart the best course for Poland. Lady Francine, a French woman known as one of the two most beautiful women in Poland (the other lives with Conrad, but as an heretical Muslim can't or won't marry him) maneuvers Conrad into marrying her. [10]
A story about group of soldiers known as the "Explorer Corps" and their mission to the Americas. Conrad sends an expedition to South America, with disastrous effects due to unique diseases. This book is from the point of view of a new character Josip Sobieski. Josip is a young man enrolled with Conrad's "Explorer Corps" whose purpose is to explore new lands in order to find new materials for Conrad's modernization of Europe (mainly rubber). This book primarily revolves around Josip's explorations in both the Arctic Circle and the Amazon River. [11]
Prequel to the series loosely gives the story of how the time machine was invented and used. Conrad does not appear in this. A novel about Conrad's cousin's, and his associates, invention of the time machine that stranded Conrad in the 13th century. This book explains the invention of the time machine and the people who control its use, incidentally providing explanations for their occasional interference in Conrad's behalf. [12] Note: A sequel was planned and rough-outlined in 2005 (Not yet published)
Conrad goes on vacation, ends up shipwrecked in north Africa and enslaved. He discovers his uncle did more of a tune-up than believed when he got his "physical" and his Christian Army uses his disappearance as an excuse to invade Africa and eventually the Holy Lands and find him. [13]
Frankowski's posthumously published finale to the Conrad Stargard series. The Mongols are overdue, so Conrad takes the war to them. [14]
Jan Murphy of The San Francisco Examiner praised The Cross-Time Engineer, comparing the character of Stargard to George MacDonald Fraser's character Harry Flashman. [15] The series has also received reviews from Booklist , Publisher's Weekly, and Library Journal . [16] [17] [12]
Legnica is a city in southwestern Poland, in the central part of Lower Silesia, on the Kaczawa River and the Czarna Woda. As well as being the seat of the county, since 1992 the city has been the seat of the Diocese of Legnica. As of 2023, Legnica had a population of 97,300 inhabitants.
Mieszko II Lambert was King of Poland from 1025 to 1031 and Duke from 1032 until his death.
The Vorkosigan Saga is a series of science fiction novels and short stories set in a common fictional universe by American author Lois McMaster Bujold. The first of these was published in 1986 and the most recent in May 2018. Works in the series have received numerous awards and nominations, including five Hugo award wins including one for Best Series.
Conrad II, also known as Conrad the Elder and Conrad the Salic, was the emperor of the Holy Roman Empire from 1027 until his death in 1039. The first of a succession of four Salian emperors, who reigned for one century until 1125, Conrad ruled the kingdoms of Germany, Italy and Burgundy.
The Battle of Legnica, also known as the Battle of Liegnitz or Battle of Wahlstatt, was fought between the Mongol Empire and combined European forces at the village of Legnickie Pole (Wahlstatt), approximately 10 kilometres (6 mi) southeast of the city of Legnica in the Duchy of Silesia on 9 April 1241.
Stargard is a city in northwestern Poland, located in the West Pomeranian Voivodeship. In 2021 it was inhabited by 67,293 people. It is situated on the Ina River. The city is the seat of the Stargard County, and, extraterritorially, of the municipality of Stargard. It is the second biggest city of Szczecin agglomeration. Stargard is a major railroad junction, where the southwards connection from Szczecin splits into two directions: towards Poznań and Gdańsk.
Władysław II the Exile was the high duke of Poland and duke of Silesia from 1138 until his expulsion in 1146. He is the progenitor of the Silesian Piasts.
John Ringo is an American science fiction and military fiction author. He has had several New York Times best sellers. His books range from straightforward science fiction to a mix of military and political thrillers. He has over seven million copies of his books in print, and his works have been translated into seven different languages.
Jody Lynn Nye is an American science fiction writer. She is the author or co-author of approximately forty published novels and more than 100 short stories. She has specialized in science fiction or fantasy action novels and humor. Her humorous series range from contemporary fantasy to military science fiction. About one-third of her novels are collaborations, either as a co-author or as the author of a sequel. She has been an instructor of the Fantasy Writing Workshop at Columbia College Chicago (2007) and she teaches the annual Science Fiction Writing Workshop at DragonCon.
Patricia Nead Elrod is an American novelist specializing in urban fantasy. She has written in the mystery, romance, paranormal, and historical genres with at least one foray into comedic fantasy. Elrod is also an editor, having worked on several collections for Ace Science Fiction, DAW, Benbella Books, and St. Martin's Griffin. She self-published a signed, limited edition novel under her own imprint, Vampwriter Books.
Tomasz Frankowski is a Polish former professional footballer who played as a striker. With 168 goals in 302 matches in Polish Ekstraklasa he is the league's third all-time scorer and was top league goalscorer four times.
Leo Frankowski was a Polish-American writer of science fiction novels.
Talabuga Khan, also known as Tolibuqa(Mongol language: Тольбухᠲᠤᠯᠠᠪᠤᠭᠠᠬᠠᠨ; died 1291), was from 1287 to 1291 the Khan of the Golden Horde, a large, independent empire and one of the four successor states of the continent-sized Mongol Empire. He was the son of Tartu, great-grandson of Batu Khan, and great-great-great-grandson of Genghis Khan.
Teutonic Knights, a crusading military order for the forced conversion to Catholicism in the Holy Land and the Baltics during the Middle Ages, are often depicted in popular culture.
Conrad is a Germanic masculine given name and a surname.
Matilda of Swabia, a member of the Conradine dynasty, was Duchess of Carinthia by her first marriage with Duke Conrad I and Duchess of Upper Lorraine by her second marriage to Duke Frederick II. She played an active role in promoting her son, Duke Conrad the Younger, as a candidate for the German throne in 1024 and to this end corresponded with King Mieszko II Lambert of Poland.
Robert Jordan was an American author known for writing the fantasy novel series The Wheel of Time. His works also include several Conan the Barbarian novels, and non-fantasy fiction such as The Fallon Saga.
Bibliography of science fiction and fantasy writer Jack L. Chalker:
Mongol incursions in the Holy Roman Empire took place in the spring of 1241 and again in the winter of 1241–42. They were part of the first Mongol invasion of Europe.
This is the 1028-1031 German-Polish War. For a list of all Polish-German Wars, see Polish-German Wars.
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