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Finnish authors abroad
Finnish authors abroad
Set in 16th century Europe, The Adventurer is a picaresque novel depicting the life and adventures of Mikael Karvajalka, a young man of Finnish descent.
Young, orphaned Mikael was raised by a healer in Turku, Finland, at that time part of the Kingdom of Sweden. He attended the local Latin school and was sent by the bishop to study at the Sorbonne in Paris. Mikael returns to his homeland and immediately becomes embroiled in a political conspiracy to secure the Swedish crown for the Danish King Christian. When the terrain in his Scandinavian homeland becomes too hot for Mikael, he leaves for Germany with his loyal companion, the artilleryman Antti.
In Germany, Mikael is caught up in the turmoil of the Protestant Reformation and the Peasants’ War. He marries, but has to see his wife Barbara being tried as a witch. Mikael witnesses the Ottoman Empire’s expansion into Hungary. His travels end up in Rome, where he takes part in the “Sacco di Roma,” the Sack of Rome by German mercenaries, leading to the expulsion of Pope Clement VII from the Vatican.
On his travels, Mikael encounters numerous historical figures, including King Christian of Denmark, the physician Paracelsus, the reformers Martin Luther and Thomas Müntzer, as well as Erasmus of Rotterdam and the Emperor Charles V.
Through the eyes of the protagonist, the most important political, economic and religious events of the 16th-century Europe are explored. This era provided Waltari with a rich backdrop for the complexities of power, faith, and leadership during a pivotal period in the European history.
Translated into over 20 languages, The Adventurer is a wonderful picaresque and a very accomplished historical novel filled with historical detail, suspense, humour and irony.
Mika Waltari was awarded Finland’s prestigious State Prize of Literature for The Adventurer.
Mikael’s story is continued in The Wanderer (U.S title: The Wanderer, UK title: The Sultan’s Renegade) where the protagonist and his ever-loyal companion Antti explore the Ottoman Empire.
Mika Waltari (1908-1979) is the most popular 20th century Finnish writer who is best known for his magnum opus The Egyptian. Over a career that spanned five decades, Waltari published well over 100 works, of which numerous translations were made. Waltari’s works include at least 30 novels, 20 plays and 15 novellas, as well as short stories, poems, screenplays and essays. In 1957 he was appointed to the Academy of Finland, having previously won the state literature award five times. Waltari’s works have been translated into over 40 languages.
The Adventurer, 1948
The Wanderer, 1949
Finland’s State Prize of Literature, 1949
Finnish PDF
Several translated editions
Croatian (Otokar Kersovani 1961; A3DATA 1999)
Czech (Hejkal 2002, 2016)
Danish (Sesam 1982; Kbh 1950; Odense 1984)
Dutch (Van Holkema & Warendorf 1952)
English US (G. P. Putnam’s Sons 1950; Pocket Book Cardinal Giant ed. 1956; Pocket Books 1965)
English UK (Putnam & Co. 1950)
English AU (Dymock’s Book Arcade 1951)
Estonian (Orto 1957; Varrak 2018)
German (Paul Neff Verlag 1952; Europäischer Buchklubb 1954; Ex Libris 1958; Stuttgarter Hausbücherei 1959; Lübbe 1976, 1992; Kuebler Verlag 2012, 2022)
Greek (Kaktos 1989)
Farsi (Dunyā-yi Kitāb 1995)
French (Olivier Orban 1984, Presses Pocket 1985; Le Jardin des Livres 2004)
Hebrew (M. Mizrahi 1966)
Hungarian (Europa 1966)
Icelandic (Bókaforlag Odds Björnssonar 1956)
Italian (Garzanti 1955)
Lithuanian (Tyto Alba 2005)
Norwegian (Bergendahl 1950)
Polish (Iskry 1964; Ksiaznica 1999; Aleksandria Media, audio, 2024)
Portuguese (Merito 1952, Brasileira 1956)
Romanian (Polirom 2005, 2022)
Spanish (Jackson de Ediciones Selectas 1951; Editora Merita 1952; Exito 1957, 1963; Plaza & Janes 1976; Edhasa 1998, 2005, 2022)
Swedish (Schildts 1949; Wahlström & Widstrand 1949, 1993)
“Although he was better known for The Egyptian, it was The Adventurer that I first read, his story of 16th-century Europe seen through the eyes of a traveler from the far north. The young Finn, Michael, bastard and orphan, but educated by the Catholic Church whose influence dominated all of Europe, becomes enmeshed in the politics of Sweden, travels to Paris to study at the greatest University of the day, and on to other parts of the continent. In Waltari’s book, I lived the unrest in Luther’s Germany, felt the horror of the Inquisition as Michael watched his wife tried as a witch, and saw the sacking of Rome. It was this story that began to crystallize for me an understanding of the real power of fiction: its ability to make the reader feel. Whatever else a work of fiction may be — educational, intellectual, literary, narrative — if it doesn’t move the reader, if it doesn’t reach inside and grab, it’s a waste of the medium and ultimately it fails. – Author Jean Auel (Washington Post) 1986
“As far as the historical background to the novel is concerned, despite Waltari’s tendency to put sarcasm ‘over the top’, everything described can be read almost as a history textbook.” – Andrei Hostov, Estonian journalist and writer
“‘The Adventurer’ is following in the glorious steps of ‘The Egyptian'”.– Publishers Weekly USA, 1950
“‘The Adventurer’ follows in the footsteps of ‘The Egyptian’ in America. It was an instant bestseller and the critics compared it to the immortal works of Hugo and Dumas (in Newsweek).”– Helsingin Sanomat, 1950
“Waltari’s inexhaustible imagination creates colourful, vibrant fiction and great historical frescoes. He brings the 16th century to life before our eyes in all its burlesque colour”. – Author V.A. Koskenniemi, 1949
“In this novel, Waltari reveals himself to be a true master of historical narrative.” – Author, literary critic Lauri Viljanen
“It’s a masterpiece. Gripping prose, plenty of interesting historical detail, great character development, quirky humour, travel across… Europe, thrilling battle scenes… Even the main character’s financial troubles are presented in an interesting fashion. However, the best part may be the endless philosophical, ethical, and theological dilemmas that Mikael faces during his journeys. I’ll start the sequel right away!” – Goodreads reviewer
