The Trial

By Franz Kafka

Book Overview

The Trial by Franz Kafka, first published in 1925, is one of the most influential novels of the twentieth century and a defining work of modernist fiction.

In The Trial, Josef K. is arrested one morning without being told the charge. From that moment, he is drawn into a vast, opaque legal system that operates without clarity, accountability, or resolution. Offices appear in attics, officials speak in riddles, hearings proceed without evidence, and guilt seems to precede judgment. Kafka does not present a conventional courtroom drama. He constructs a world in which bureaucracy, authority, and logic have detached from human understanding.

The novel explores themes of alienation, institutional power, anxiety, and moral uncertainty. Law functions less as a system of justice than as an inescapable condition of existence. Josef K.'s attempts to defend himself only deepen his entanglement, revealing a society where procedure replaces meaning and responsibility is endlessly deferred. The result is a precise and unsettling portrayal of modern life under impersonal systems.

Written in clear, restrained prose, The Trial has shaped discussions of totalitarianism, administrative power, and existential guilt for nearly a century. The term "Kafkaesque" originates here, describing situations marked by absurdity, helplessness, and oppressive complexity. The novel remains essential reading for those interested in classic literature, existential fiction, political and legal symbolism, and the psychology of modern institutions.

This edition presents Kafka's classic novel in a clean, readable format and is available in Kindle, Paperback, and Hardback editions. Originally published in 1925, The Trial continues to speak directly to readers confronting systems they cannot see, challenge, or escape.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 191850976X
• ISBN13: 9781918509762
• Release Date: February 2026
• Publisher: Lost Book Project
• Length: 184 Pages
• Weight: 0.56 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 6.0" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

Almost too Kafkaesque

Great book, although not as good as "The Metamorphosis". The story moves very slow, which is intentional, but not really that enjoyable to read for a casual audience.

A masterpiece

I've read everything published by Kafka and there Isn't a single story I don't enjoy. That being said he is by all means my favorite author, and this is one of my favorite works of his.

Disorder In The Court

We should all know the story concerning one of the greatest novels ever written, about a man being awaken to find out he is under arrest for a crime he knows nothing about, and charged by an unknown person. It's been debated as to what is really Kafka's novel all about. Some say, it's "hero"(?) Joseph K. represents the "every man". Who has been forced to live in a world, where's man's biggest sin is being himself. The character K. like Kafka himself feels they are an outsider in a world they cannot function in. Others still, see the book as merely a semi-autobiography as Kafka's own feelings of worthlessness. We all know Kafka even doubted his own talents as a writer. But, yet again, others think that "K." is not the "every man". That he is guilty of his "sins". So, what does all of this prove? It simply goes to show you the impact Franz Kafka has left on the world. Here we have a book published in 1925 and still causes debate as to what exactly were Kafka's intentions. If, infact, he didn't have any intentions! 'The Trial', to me is a story of a man's loneliness. It's a story of man who probably is guilty of what he is charged with. And we slowly read about his desent into a world of paranoia. I've heard some people agrue that what happens to "K." is all merely a dream. None of it ever really happened, but, it was "K." himself who brought this punishment on himself. Sort of like how Kafka himself did by never marrying the girl he loved, by living in the shadows of his father, who he adored, and never having an self confidence. If what happens in 'The Trial' is a dream, you can bet "K." learned something. There's something about Kafka that fasincates me. He is one of my favorite authors. I find Kafka himself to be just as interesting has the stories he wrote. People tend to forget or overlook something in Kafka's writing. He WAS funny. His novels all have moments that are truly inspired. One of my favorite chapters in this book deals with "The Painter". What happens has "K." trys to leave and the Painter stops him asking him if he wants to buy a painting had me laughing. For those of you who have never read this book, I do completely recommend it. You will find the book to be fascinating. Kafka was a master of thinking up these surreal stories. You may be bothered by the book's conclusion. Not that you'll mind the final act against "K." but, you'll be bothered by the way it happens. You would have expected more of a set-up. I know I did. Others who read the book may feel the book is incomplete. And that may lead them to dislike it. You are right in your judgement that the book is incomplete, but, remember, Kafka never wanted any of his books published. There's actually a chapter in here that was never finished. And, even though it is incomplete that didn't stop me from truly enjoying this masterpiece. If you have never read anything by Kafka, this is a fine place to start. I hope everyone finds 'The Trial' to be as enjoyable as I did. Bottom-line

Oh, I am just so mad!

I giving the book 5 stars, because it's a really good read. Not having read any other translation, I must take other reviewer's word that it compares well. Read the other reviews, they are correct about this books quality.Now, here's why I am mad. I read the introduction. Then I read the translator's notes. The translator is quite full of himself and his cleverness. Thus he points out the sections where he was particularly clever. In doing so, he gives away the plot, the ending of the novel, and why we should think about it the way he translated it, and not trust earlier transactions. This should have been an afterward, not before the text. I reviewed the plot, including the ending, before reading the text. This somewhat ruined the experience for me. Skip the translator's notes, and you'll have a fine edition of Kafka's influntial novel.

The Greatest Book Ever Written Bar None

Dense, atmospheric and truly haunting, Kafka's The Trial is quite possibly the greatest book ever written. The tale of one man's futile battle against bureaucracy, it is even more applicable to our meaningless, frustating modern existence than it probably was to turn of the century Prague. This new translation manages to capture Kafka's dark wit in a way that has never been done before - showing the author not only to be a true visionary, but an eccentric, funny human being as well. There is no doubt that it is complex and hard going, but the rewards that you may reap from perservering are more than worth the effort. And for those that fail to understand it, I suggest you take some time out for introspection - for this book may very well be the greatest comprehensive biography of our century.

Still captivating

When I first read this book 4 years ago, I thought it was the best book I have ever read. It had intrigued me like no other book. As a current freshman in college, I have read many books since (including Kafka's other classics The Castle and Amerika) and still, no book can capture me the way Kafka has in the Trial. The story of Joseph K. is a story for the ages. The complete confusion and naivety in Joseph K.'s life as well as his futile attempts to understand it pull the reader in and makes us look at things from his point of view. It is this ability that I love so much in Kafka. I have read The Trial many times, and each time I am just as entwined in the the confusion and suffering as the first time. A must read for any Kafka lover or any lover of literature for that matter. B.Nichols