The Journeys Of Socrates (Peaceful Warrior Saga) (2005) - Plot & Excerpts
The Journeys of Socrates shines the spotlight on Dan Millman's mysterious teacher from The Way of the Peaceful Warrior. We discover that Socrates was born Sergei in Russia to a Cossack father and a Jewish mother. His youth is scarred by tragedy. His mother died in labor with him and his father died of alcohol poisoning while Sergei was away at military school. His only remaining relative that we know of, his grandfather, dies. He flees the military academy to avoid having to harass Jews as a soldier, and in the process he has to battle his arch-rival. He marries into a family, but that ends badly as well. His family by marriage are Jews living under false identities at a time when it is very dangerous to be a Russian Jew.It is after this tragedy that Socrates' search for warrior skills and revenge drive the narrative. In injecting so much tragedy into his life, Millman makes the main character's transformation all the more impressive. At every turn, Socrates is faced with events that should fill him with bitterness and hatred, but he must keep going and learn to control his emotions to become the warrior that he wants to be.He proceeds to train under a warrior trained in the way of Japanese swordsmanship, a man named Razin. Razin only reluctantly accepts him as a student. He then lives at a hermitage, learning to reign in his mind and to respond freely and appropriately to attacks. His teacher at the hermitage, Father Serafim, teaches him to fight, he also encourages him to give up his intention to settle his vendetta. Finally, he travels abroad to train with a convened collection of sages from various traditions (Taoism, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity,etc.)Socrates narrative arc is well developed. He is pitted against a powerful enemy Zakolyev, aka Gregor Stakkos, a military school rival who became an antisemitic Cossack gang leader. Socrates is drawn into a final decisive battle with this nemesis, but there is a twist at the end to further complicate matters. I'll admit I've had mixed feelings about Millman's work. I was a big fan of the original books Way of the Peaceful Warrior and to a lesser extent Sacred Journey of the Peaceful Warrior. Those books provided great insight into mind-body development in a readable narrative form. However, I later picked up one of his subsequent books and found it to be some sort of numerology/astrology drivel. That was disconcerting not only because it offended my sensibilities as a Cartesian skeptic, but even more so because it seemed to fly in the face of the Peaceful Warrior message-- which was one of self-empowerment, not passive acceptance of some randomly bestowed fate.So I picked The Journeys of Socrates reluctantly. However, I found this book to be the most readable of all. It is written like a novel or the memoir of someone who led the rare novel-shaped life.
Part truth, part fiction--The Journeys of Socrates is the retelling of the author's great-grandfather's legacy, taken from first-hand accounts and peppered with artistic license. In this journey, we're taken through the hardship and heartache of chosen allegiances, conditional love, and dutiful vengeance, all wrapped in deep philosophical insight. This is not an easy read, but it's surely very satisfying.Set in anti-semitic Russia, Sergei Ivanov, also known as Socrates, is a man with a conflicting heritage. His mother is Jewish, and his father is a (Christian) Cossack, both dying in Sergei's early years. Sergei is sent to Cossack military school, where we're introduced to his ultimate antagonist: Dmitri Zakolyev. All I'll say is: Shit gets real.The story begins with Sergei maturing into adulthood, from his school years to his time in St. Petersburg. There is the recurring reminder of his Jewish blood, his grandfather trying to infuse some of that spirit during their short time together, and Sergei ultimately finds family among the Jews. This is painfully short-lived, and God how I cried and boiled with rage. You'll want revenge as much as Sergei, and like him, you won't be given a quick resolution. Brutal vengeance wouldn't be enough to truly undo the damage done.We're taken through Sergei's grieving process and are ultimately led to a Christian monastery where he finds a mentor agreeing to train him for his revenge. The mentor has a lot to teach us, much of it needing many years to mull over and absorb. While religion has a role in defining the characters, the book does not push religious ideology. The inclusion of "God's will" should be taken as a basis of accepting everything happens for a reason and that things have a way of working out, which is indeed the case for Sergei.One of my biggest hurdles in reading, and reviewing, this story is the level of catharsis with me being a Jew from the former Soviet Union. Sergei's adversaries are the unrepentant faces of egotism, lashing out from their hidden self-loathing and needing a scapegoat for their failures. They are sadistic, gaining pleasure from unjustified cruelty--the worst of humanity given the loftiest praises. I wanted them to pay so badly, yet how foolish would it be to find solace in the same barbarity as the monsters? Truly, the only way to find peace is to start with myself--to kill hate with kindness.The unfolding of events in The Journeys of Socrates inspires hope, whether you believe in the concept of God's will or not. There is sweet closure, and it resounds into the Epilogue where Dan Millman reveals how he discovered his great grandfather's adventures. It's a journey well worth it in the end.{Check out this review at Entropy Alarm Reviews}
What do You think about The Journeys Of Socrates (Peaceful Warrior Saga) (2005)?
Just when I didn't think Millman could surpass his first book, The Way of the Peaceful Warrior, the book that truly changed my life and outlook on the universe. This book tells the journey of his enigmatic mentor, Socrates; from his humble and tragic beginnings to his enlightened training. How was this amazing master formed? The book is based in the Ukraine region of Russia, with Sergei "Socrates" Ivanov being cast as a half Cossack/half Jew (quite the explosive combination, as you can imagine), struggling to understand himself and his place in life. Only through great personal tragedy, loss and the need for revenge does he begin to understand the path he was set upon. Only in seeking out his great teacher, a monk called Seraphim, does he discover both the path of the warrior and the path of peace. It's a beautiful and heart-felt story that is filled with Millman's great wisdoms and insights into life. However, even though Millman has put "The first book in the Peaceful Warrior series" on the cover, I recommend reading "The Way of the Peaceful Warrior" and possibly "Sacred Journey of the Peaceful Warror" before "The Journeys of Socrates."
—JC
This is the first Millman book I read and due to a recommendation I'm afraid I expected too much. Frankly I expected more tears. Not that it's not a touching story. It is. But not more than any story of anybody who lost a loved one(s), embraced revenge and then found peace in leaving the path of revenge. There is some revelation in this book, some thoughts very well expressed, messages that came through but this story could be written much better. It had its message for me but I wish that this message had reached me in the form of a better reading experience.My favourite part was the story of the young samurai. I think I will give another chance to Millman with one of his other books, but there are authors of the spiritual genre who had more impression on me.
—Island
This was a fantastic read. "The Journey of Socrates" followed a young boy, Sergei Ivanov, all the way into his adulthood. Sergei spent his childhood in a military academy In Russia during the late 19th century. Sergei was a jewish boy and he learned of the pogroms in Russia when he was in his early teens. Put in a tough spot, Sergei had to choose between the military academy where his uncle, his only family left, was the instructor, or he could pave the way for his own life. Sergei chose to create his own life. Sergei's life is filled with tough decisions, uncertainty, and battles between nature, others, and himself in order for Sergei to survive. "The Journey of Socrates" is filled with stunning plot twists and excellent moral lessons of the value of a human life.I loved the wild setting and great detail used to describe the character's appearances and emotions. The insanity of Sergei's rival was also a great component to this story, as he almost tries to steal Sergei's life. Every time I started reading I was plunged into the world of Russia in the late 1800's and found myself never wanting to leave. This book deserves more than 5 stars.
—Holden Guillies
