The 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".