Kaz: War, Love, and Betrayal
A historical drama packed with action and suspense
Bogdan Kotnis, Ph.D.
https://www.amazon.com/Kaz-Love-Betrayal-Bogdan-Kotnis/dp/1959856502?
Reviews:
Karolina:
It reads like Downton Abbey, Poldark, or Bridgerton. I want to see a movie.
Anonymous G.I.:
I couldn’t put it away. It helped me understand what I, a boy from Ohio, am doing here in Poland on the eastern flank of NATO. I pay a debt of gratitude to General Pulaski for his ultimate sacrifice. What a hero!!!
Tom:
Pulaski is the eighth of only nine honorary citizens of the United States. It makes sense that a literate American knows something about him. This book kept me riveted from start to finish and gave me a better idea of today’s Russian assault on Ukraine. Thank you.
Jan:
I gave Kaz to my neighbor. He visited me two days later and said: “I had no idea. Thank you. It made me smarter.”
Lilly:
What a story. Kaz’s climb up Helena’s window is the best part for me. Blueberry fields, a Blueberry Knight, and a romance in a cave. I felt like I was standing next to them.
Roger:
War, Love and Betrayal. It reads like what we see on TV every day; Russians bullying, lying, and killing. I guess not much has changed. They have been pulling wool over our eyes for centuries. Time to go there and get to the bottom of their scam.
Donald:
I recommend that Kaz is on a reading list for our High School and college students. I paid a lot for my college (still paying the loan), and it is a shame that I had no idea of most of the facts presented in this book.
Emily:
I am planning a trip to Poland. I will definitely visit the castle of Pieskowa Skała where Kaz met Helena. I want to see the wall he climbed and the window where they met. What a story.
Marek:
The first book which spells all Polish words in the original without butchering them into some incomprehensible mess. The author provides quick translations for each, but it is easy today to hit Translate on the phone and hear them or find their meaning.
Eric:
I gifted Kaz to my grandmother. She cried and said: “I didn’t think you cared. I love you.” What else can I say? I love my babcia.
Tom:
What a story so relevant to current events! I realized that Kaz’s estate by the Dnieper River is where Russians are assaulting Ukrainians today: same place, same story, same war.
ENDORSEMENT
December 2022
My over fifty years of experience as a publisher and editor tells me that Kaz: War, Love, and Betrayal will become an influential book that will improve the perception of Poland in the United States. This historical drama, packed with action and suspense, reveals similarities between Poland and the United States and their role on the global stage. Our understanding of current political concerns is stunted if we treat Poland’s point of view as a nuisance in the dialogue of the critical powers. Kaz helps us understand that ignoring the Polish perspective in today’s Europe is a strategic mistake. Without a Polish voice, any analysis of the current Russian war in Ukraine is flawed and will lead to surprises and shock. Let us enjoy the book and read it with the attention it deserves.
Edward Dusza
Senior editor and journalist with decades of experience; currently Editor of Gwiazda Polarna, Stevens Point, Wisconsin.
New York Weekly review:
December 2022
by Samantha Cornwell
Fast-Paced, Beautifully Told Story of Romance, Palace Infighting, and Global Intrigue
Kaz: War, Love, and Betrayal is a book for all times. Retelling the past, Kaz sheds light on current events. This riveting historical adventure, full of engaging twists of action and suspense, helps us understand the current Russian War in Ukraine. General Kazimierz Pulaski (Kaz) forfeits his family’s wealth and steadfast love to battle the Russian and British troops during the 18th-century wars shaping the world as we know it today.
Dr. Bogdan Kotnis, with impressive academic credentials and the experience of 30 years of residency in Europe and 30 years in the United States, paints over one hundred characters on the canvas of the Russian assault on Poland and the American Revolutionary War against the British. Kaz binds these events into a love, commitment, and bravery story. Heroes of this caliber never die. Kotnis brings Kaz into the limelight, treating us to a literary feast of epic proportions.
Reviewed for Readers’ Favorite
5 STAR *****
by Rabia Tenveer
January 2023
Perfectly Paced Incredible Story of the Father of the American Cavalry
Kaz: War, Love, and Betrayal by Bogdan Kotnis is a historical novel with strong characters, a great plot, and intense action. The story follows the life of the father of the American Cavalry, General Kazimierz Pulaski. Originally a Polish cavalry officer, Kazimierz was removed from the Polish fight for independence wrongfully, but that did not stop him from fighting for the right cause. He believed American citizens had to fight against British rule with as much zest as his country was fighting against Russia. He couldn’t fight for his country anymore, so Kaz did the next best thing; he offered his services and determination to George Washington in the cause to bring freedom to American soil. What happened next brought forward American independence, and Kaz was leading the cause from the front.
Giving readers a closer look into the life of Kaz and the war hero he was, author Bogdan Kotnis did due diligence and research to do justice to Kaz and his brilliance. Anyone who paid attention in history class would know who Kazimierz Pulaski was and how important he was for American independence. The attention to detail ensures readers get to know about Kaz more than they did in any history lesson. Bogdan Kotnis went above and beyond to dig deeper into Kaz’s life to paint him as more than just a war hero. I was amazed by the sheer number of characters; overwhelming at first, but Kotnis executed it perfectly. Each chapter made the story more exciting, and the fact that it was historically accurate just made it even more entertaining. The illustrations brought the descriptions to life and enhanced the reading experience! The pace was perfect, and the story was incredible.
Reviewed for Readers’ Favorite
5 STAR *****
by K.C. Finn
January 2023
Intelligent and Thought-Provoking Literature
Kaz: War, Love, and Betrayal is a work of fiction in the historical, thriller, and action subgenres. It is best suited to the general adult reading audience and was penned by Bogdan Kotnis. In this intellectually complex and far-reaching novel, we are introduced to a plethora of different influential figures during the eighteenth century. At the time Russia was at war, attacking Poland, the newly constituted United States was fighting the war with the British. In the middle of all this, General Kazimierz Pulaski takes the helm to do what he believes is right, forfeiting many advantages that flowed from his wealth, family, and identity to battle injustice.
Bogdan Kotnis has crafted a thrilling novel that always has one eye on the modern world. The storylines he has chosen to animate from the pages of history shed a great deal of light on how humanity continues to make excuses for its bad behavior in much the same way today as it did three hundred years ago. Kaz is a fascinating lead figure for the action to focus on, with his roots firmly in one belief system but his heart and sense of justice encamped in another. The conflict, whether psychological, political, social, or emotional, is always treated with layers of sensitivity and with viewpoints shared from different angles. It becomes the reader’s job to make sense of the world they’re thrown into, and that is a most unusual reading experience for a historical novel of this kind. I would certainly recommend Kaz to fans of intelligent and thought-provoking literature.
Reviewed for Readers’ Favorite
5 STAR *****
By Asher Syed
December 2022
Engaging, Informative, and Entertaining
Kaz: War, Love, and Betrayal by Bogdan Kotnis is a fictional account built around the real-life heroics of Kazimierz Pulaski, an 18th-century Polish American legend. The book begins with an extensive history of the Pulaski family through a combination of narrative and dialogue, and a legacy of political might that transitioned from father to son in the Commonwealth of the day. This is the story of Kaz but is also a deep dive into the political and military powerhouses crafted into flesh and blood in this account, from the well-known Voltaire to the lesser-known Tuscarora Chief, Casper Peters. Kotnis covers a wide field from the battlegrounds of Eastern Europe and Kaz’s ultimate migration to conversations with none other than General George Washington on what was to become sovereign US soil – an improbable feat were it not for the likes of Kaz.
I went into Kaz by Bogdan Kotnis with no knowledge of Pulaski or the pivotal role he played on two continents. The book blends factual people and events with fictional re-enactments that incorporate private lives, letters, and reimagined conversations against the documented trajectory of the militarily skilled Pulaski. The work as a whole is provided with a touch of realism through the incorporation of period photographs and pieces of historical evidence. The most interesting scenes to me were in his leaving the army he had built up himself and transplanting himself into an American conflict. His primary goal was to restore Poland to her former greatness and this remained the driving force behind every strategic step he took. The writing is clean and clear, and from a literary standpoint, Kotnis has crafted an engaging read that is as informative as it is entertaining. Recommended.
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Polish American Journal’s New Books Section
PRESS RELEASE
September 2022
Kaz Substantiates an Honest Reflection on the Present
Dr. Bogdan Kotnis’ historical drama Kaz: War, Love, and Betrayal is full of suspense and action. General Kazimierz Pulaski forfeits his family’s wealth and steadfast love to battle the Russian and British troops during the 18th-century wars. His courageous actions won him the distinction of Father of the American Cavalry, and the eighth honorary U.S. citizenship during the period when the United States was founded, and Poland fell. In addition, his tale aids in our understanding of the ongoing Russian war in Ukraine.
In the era when the armed conflicts spanning two continents impacted the world’s future as we know it now, Kaz presents 100 historical characters from both sides of the Atlantic. Their behavior makes us think of notable people from today. For example, when accused of having a relationship with the Russian Tsarina Catherine the Great, the Polish King Stan responded, “I didn’t have sex with that woman, Catherine.” This scene is reminiscent of President Clinton’s response to the Monika Lewinsky scandal. Likewise, the “little green men” nickname given to the Russian soldiers who were murdering, raping, and robbing in Poland of eighteen hundred is similar to the special operations forces President Putin of Russia employed to take Crimea from Ukraine.
Bogdan Kotnis, Pd.D. is a writer, journalist, educator, and film director with degrees in both the United States and Poland. His knowledge of English, Polish, Russian, Ukrainian, German, and Danish helped describe the complex ties between several European nations with clarity.
A reading list for American students and the military should include Kaz. Anyone attempting to comprehend the geopolitical issues in our world should have it in their library. Anyone looking for exciting literature with suspense and dramatic climactic reversals will find it in this fast-paced historical thriller.
Digital Journal Review
By GetNews
Published
August 16, 2022
Dr. Bogdan Kotnis’ historical drama ‘Kaz: War, Love, and Betrayal‘ is full of suspense and action. General Kazimierz Pulaski forfeits his family’s wealth and steadfast love to battle the Russian and British troops during the 18th-century wars. His courageous actions won him the distinction of Father of the American Cavalry and the eighth honorary US citizenship during the same period when the United States was founded, and Poland fell. In addition, his tale aids in our understanding of the ongoing Russian war in Ukraine.
In the era when armed conflicts spanning two continents impacted the world’s future as we know it now, Kaz presents 100 historical characters from both sides of the Atlantic. Their behavior makes us think of notable people from today. For example, when accused of having a relationship with the Russian Tsarina Catherine the Great, the Polish King Stan responds, “I didn’t have sex with that woman, Catherine.” This scene is reminiscent of President Clinton’s response to the Monika Lewinsky scandal. Likewise, the “little green men” nickname given to the Russian soldiers who are murdering, raping, and robbing in Poland is a reference to the special operations forces President Putin of Russia employed to take Crimea from Ukraine.
Bogdan Kotnis, Pd. D. is a writer, journalist, educator, and film director with degrees in both the United States and Poland. His knowledge of English, Polish, Russian, Ukrainian, German, and Danish helped describe the complex ties between several European nations with clarity.
A reading list for American kids and the military should include Kaz. Anyone attempting to comprehend the geopolitical issues in our world should have it in their library. Anyone looking for exciting literature with suspense and dramatic climactic reversals will find it in this fast-paced historical thriller.
Read more:
https://www.digitaljournal.com/pr/kaz-war-love-and-betrayal-by-dr-bogdan-kotnis#ixzz7q2VNVGq5
1/19/23
For Amazon:
Dr. Bogdan Kotnis’ historical suspense fiction book Kaz: War, Love, and Betrayal is a historical fiction drama with a tale of romance tested by the demands of war. It’s an account of the life of General Kazimierz Pulaski, who forfeits his family’s wealth and steadfast love to battle the Russian and British troops during the 18th-century wars. Through dramatic reversals of numerous betrayals, Kotnis’ book shows how American Revolution and Poland’s fight against Russia help us understand the ongoing Russian war in Ukraine. In this riveting American Revolutionary war book, Kazimierz Pułaski, a Brigadier General of the American Continental Army and the Colonel of the Polish Bar Confederacy combats the Russian and British armies in search of honor and freedom. While the United States was born and Poland collapsed, Kaz’s heroic conduct earned him the title of the Father of the American Cavalry and eventually the eighth honorary US citizenship. This historical suspense fiction is a testimony to the power of belief, passion, and conviction. Furthermore, it helps us better understand the current geopolitical concerns resulting from the Russian war in Ukraine.
This revolutionary war epic presents over one hundred characters. It lets the readers delve deep into the historical details, which include one-on-one conversations between George Washington and the young cavalry general, emphasizing the pair’s critical partnership. Kaz and Washington had many enemies conspiring against them in this fictional historical novel. An American military cabal tried to rebel and replace Washington as Commander of the Continental Army. Despite the challenges in Poland and the United States, Kaz stayed on task. Although betrayed by American Major James Curry at Savannah, which led to his death, Kaz is among those brave hearts who directly contributed to the victory of the young American democracy.
