Set against a backdrop of the Chilean War of Independence, 'Gaspar Ruiz' is the story of the tumultuous rise and fall of a local peasant turned rebel soldier. An epic tale of remarkable irony and adventure, we follow Ruiz - who possesses an almost Herculean strength - from soldier to prisoner, to fugitive and finally colonel of the Spanish Army. Sardonically, his strength proves invaluable at saving his life multiple times, but is also ultimately the vehicle of his peril.

Joseph Conrad's work went on to influence authors like George Orwell, John le Carré and F. Scott Fitzgerald. Joseph Conrad (1857-1924) was a Polish-born author who left Poland in his teens to avoid enlistment in the Russian Army. He learned English aboard British ships and started writing in the language after settling in England. His most famous novel is ‘Heart of Darkness’ (1899), which was inspired by his experiences on the open sea.