Library

To a certain extent, this book can be regarded as a companion volume to Roth's widely praised masterpiece "Radetzky March" and is another masterpiece of Roth. "The Tomb of the First Kings" writes about the other two members of the Trotta family, shifting from the father-son theme in "Radetzky March" to the mother-son relationship, leading the story to another rich dimension. While constantly exploring the most mysterious and decisive human relationships, Roth conducted a concrete and profound reflection on the German and Austrian culture and history during the Habsburg dynasty. The Trotta Family novels tell the story of the fate of the Austro-Hungarian Empire through the ups and downs of the Trotta family, reflecting the various problems and dilemmas of Western civilization in the transitional period of modern times. They are profoundly ideological and highly artistic.

This novel is a landmark work in writing the "Habsburg Myth" in modern German literature. The novel tells the story of the irreversible decline of the Austro-Hungarian Empire through the ups and downs of the three generations of the Trotta family. It can be described as an elegy to the Habsburg dynasty. As the grandson of Emperor Joseph's savior, the officer Ensign Trotta is stationed in a border town of the empire. Between different races, in the shadow of the multicultural empire, Ensign Trotta finds himself in a confused swamp, just like the empire in its twilight years. This work is hailed as one of the best novels written between the two world wars. It is included in the "Ideal Library" and ranks among the top ten German literary works.