Upon the death of the old captain, a young sailor takes charge of the ship and its crew. The ship must make a delivery but can't depart the port due without an expert tug boat. The new captain befriends Hermann, the captain of a German ship moored nearby. Herman lives aboard with his wife, four children and his niece. Thrown together by shared circumstances they all become very friendly.
Unknown to anyone, Falk, the tugboat captain who can get them all out of the bay, is in love with Herman's niece. He becomes jealous of a man he perceives as his competition and sabotages the ships from leaving. The young captain must befriend the bitter and sulking Falk and help him win Herman's niece.
But Falk has a dark secret from his own sinister past that he must reveal before he can win the niece's heart and hand in marriage.
"Falk" is a tale told by a group of mariners swapping seas stories around a dinner table. Like many other Conrad's works, it combines his interest in moral conflict and the dark side of human nature. Fans of other maritime books like "Moby Dick" or "Shōgun" will enjoy this insightful tale.
Joseph Conrad (1857-1924), born Józef Teodor Konrad Korzeniowsk in Berdychiv, Ukraine. His parents were Polish nobles and patriots who conspired against oppressive Russian rule. He became a naturalized British subject in 1886. Conrad is regarded as one of the greatest novelists, known for works like "Lord Jim," "Heart of Darkness," and "The Secret Agent." Many of his works reflect on his experience as a mariner and addressed profound themes of human nature and existence.