Like Embers in the Night

by

Andrew Goliszek

A novel based on the true story of survival and heroism

during Stalin's brutal reign of terror

The Wild Rose Press

Softcover

ISBN (print): 978-1-5092-5929-8

ISBN (digital): 978-5092-5930-4

Page Count: 340 pages

Release Date: December, 2024

Price: $20.99 print; $5.99 digital

www.wildrosepress.com

During Stalin's brutal reign of terror, Janek, a Polish soldier, and his wife, Wanda, endure the horrors of Soviet labor camps and Siberian gulags as World War II rages across Europe. While millions perish, they endure the invasion of Poland by Germany and Russia and then miraculously survive mass deportations, imprisonment, torture, and starvation. Broken both physically and emotionally by their near-death experiences and the unspeakable atrocities of war, Janek and Wanda are reunited seven years after he marched off to defend his country. They must begin a new life and try to forget the many scars of their past, but where? And can they ever truly forget all that happened to them while they were apart. Andrew Goliszek's gripping novel is based on the incredible true story of what two people endured when the world was on fire and all hope seemed lost.

About the Author

After receiving a Ph.D. in Physiology and Endocrinology from Utah State University, Dr. Andrew Goliszek was a research associate at Wake Forest University School of Medicine in both the department of Physiology and Pharmacology and the department of Medicine. Following that, he was Associate Professor of Biology and Human Anatomy & Physiology at North Carolina A&T State University where he developed and taught 6 undergraduate and graduate course. He has given stress management seminars to corporations, has written numerous books and articles, was principal investigator and coinvestigator on several NIH biomedical research grants dealing with the effects of stress on cardiovascular and neuroendocrine function, and was recipient of the prestigious College of Arts & Sciences Faculty of the Year Award for excellence in teaching, research, and student advising. He currently lives on the coast of North Carolina where he continues to write both fiction and nonfiction books.

In September 1939, when the most brutal of men laid siege to Poland and brought hell, in all its fury, to every corner of the globe,

two unlikely heroes miraculously survive and try desperately to forget the scars of their past.

Reviews

“Like Embers in the Night” by Andrew Goliszek is a haunting, evocative tale of World War Two and its aftermath, with a focus on the horrors inflicted on the Polish people. The book opens with a graphic reference to Auschwitz and moves to recalling the Katyn massacre. How people and society can ever heal after such appalling losses is an enduring question, and the two central characters, Wanda and Janek, continue to be prisoners of the past. “Like Embers in the Night” commences in 2004, in Ohio. Wanda has dementia, and, with such memories stored in her mind, returns to lucidity are not particularly welcome and only bring further pain. On occasion Wanda remembers Janek, and reminisces that he is handsome. Such recollections are heartbreaking, and the reader will wonder how one person is to survive such continuing pain. The narrative then moves to 1939, in Lwow, Poland. The significance of the timeframe is obvious, and the unfolding story well-written. Janek, a Polish officer, is captured, and is fearful of the fate of his wife Wanda and daughter Sophie. He is taken to a prison camp, where further graphic scenes play out. The terror is not only physical. Told that “Poland no longer exists” he realises that he and his fellow soldiers will be forced to give up personal information, which will then be used against them. Janek lies about the existence of Wanda and Sophie in an effort to save them. The utter hopelessness of Poland and its displaced and traumatized people is profound.

Both Wanda and Janek are compelling characters with distinct and believable personalities and character arcs. There are secondary characters; family members, a sympathetic nurse, terrifying occupiers. Throughout it all, Wanda’s spirit shines, and every reader will relate to Janek’s focus on protecting his family and his country, although at great personal cost. The characters’ personal relationships are all authentic, particularly Wanda and Janek, who must reconnect after finally being reunited. The pacing of the book is measured, but appropriate for the storyline, and historical background is skilfully woven into the overall narrative. “Like Embers in the Night” also focuses on the post-war period, and the situation of immigrants to the United States of America from war-torn Europe. Such a major voyage and re-settling means further upheaval, although great opportunity awaits.

The ending of “Like Embers in the Night” is deeply emotional, but will satisfy the reader, bringing the story of Wanda and Janek, their family and their homeland around in a full circle. “Like Embers in the Night” is a heartrending story that will stay with the reader for some time after the final page is finished. That is the mark of well-written historical fiction; Wanda and Janek will seem very real to the reader. It is one of the world’s great tragedies that the pages of this gripping fictional novel were the reality of life for so many millions of their generation. An immersive return to one of history’s darkest chapters, where the human spirit survives the unthinkable. An absorbing read!

-Historical Fiction Company Reviews