2012
2012
Grand Prize
Jacek Dukaj
Born in 1974. He studied philosophy at the Jagiellonian University. He made his debut with the short story "Złota galera", published in February 1990 in the monthly ‘Fantastyka’, written when he was 16 years old. His next stories were published in the literary magazine 'Fenix' and 'Nowa Fantastyka'. In 1997, Dukaj's book debut, "Xavras Wyżryn", was published.
Dukaj's journalistic texts and reviews have been published in 'Nowa Fantastyka', 'SFinks', 'Miesięcznik', 'Framzeta', 'Fantom', 'Feniks' 'Science Fiction', 'Super Fantastyka Powieść', 'Czas Fantastyki'.
Dukaj's stories have been translated into English, German, Russian, Czech and Hungarian. "Złota Galera" was published in English in the anthology The Dedalus Book of Polish Fantasy, translated by Wieśka Powaga. "Ruch generała" and parts of the "Katedra" were translated into English by Michael Kandel, but so far they have not been published, except for the fragments available on the Internet.
On December 6, 2007 another novel by Jacek Dukaj was published - "Lód", Book of the Year 2007 in the competition of Wirtualna Polska, Book in Autumn 2007 at PPNW, nominated for Angelus, Józef Mackiewicz Award and the 2008 NIKE Literary Award.
In March 2008, Wydawnictwo Literackie published the reissue of the short story collection "W kraju niewiernych" in a new layout, in May - "Inne pieśni", in October - "Czarne oceany".
In November 2009, the novel "Wroniec" was published, the background of which is the martial law of 1981.
(2012)
Science fiction
Jacek Dukaj, a science fiction writer, writes a science fiction novel about Edward Caldwell, a science fiction writer who writes in the near future a science fiction novel about the invasion of the Martians. Which novel this refers to the next SF story, winding up an epistemological spiral. In the literary ontology outlined in this way, which of the described layers is the "zero layer" of reality? Does such a layer even exist? Is the writer's life the key to his text, or is the text the key to life?
Jacek Dukaj's mini-novel proves that in the literature – not only the science fiction one –not everything is written yet. In this story the reader will find what captivated in the author's previous texts: stunning futurological concepts, cultural-tech forecasts, materialized ideas that organize the lives of individuals and societies, worldbuilding beyond the limits of the imagination.
(Publisher's note)
2012
Gold Distinction
Wit Szostak
Born in 1976. Doctor of philosophy, graduate of the Pontifical Academy of Theology. He lives in Krakow. A member of the Tischner Society and a fan of Tolkien's work. He is an expert in folk music, for several years he has been writing down the notes of the last folk violinists, he has been playing the violin, goose and bagpipes.
He made his debut as a fantasy author in 1999 with the short story "Kłopoty z błaznem", published in ‘Nowa Fantastyka’. So far, four of his books have been published: the novels "Wichry Smoczogór" (2003) and happening several centuries earlier "Poszarpane granie", as well as a collection of short stories "Ględzieby Ropucha", and "Oberki do końca świata". For both novels, he was nominated for the Janusz A. Zajdel Award. "Wichry Smoczogór" was additionally awarded with the Śląkfa Aaward. In 2008, he received the Janusz A. Zajdel Award for the short story "Miasto grobów. Uwertura" published in the anthology „Księga strachu 2”. His works are often inspired by the culture of the Polish mountains.
He writes under a pseudonym. As he says, he uses a pseudonym not to hide, but to signal that he delimits different areas of his interests, as he publishes texts on philosophy under his real name.
(2012)
Dumanowski
Adam Mickiewicz, as the bishop of Kraków, lectures on Slavic literature, Juliusz Słowacki is an outstanding financier and minister of the treasury, and both, as unfulfilled poets, do not publish their works. They are friends with the legendary national hero Józafat Dumanowski. The president and statesman, adored by the inhabitants of the Republic of Krakow, a journalist, dandy, veteran, passionate lover and hermit, remains a mystery to his countrymen. Dumanowski's made-up-biography are excerpts from his numerous biographies, fragments of press texts, rumors, legends, songs and guesses. This mosaic creates an ambiguous and internally incoherent image of the hero who lived one hundred and twenty-three years, being born and dying in free Poland. Its history is therefore the history of Poland under partitions, but a history told anew.
Dumanowski is an alternative story not only about Polish history, but above all an alternative national mythology: an attempt to look at what is unchanging in our myths, and what is fleeting and accidental. Wit Szostak deconstructs our national myths, with subtle humor and tender irony he tells a story about everyday struggle with oneself, non-fulfillment, passing and the breakdown of order that is no longer needed.
(source: lubimyczytac.pl)
2012
Silver Distinction
Michał Protasiuk
Born in 1978. He says about himself: I was born in Bydgoszcz, I spent my childhood in Siedlce, I live and work in Poznań. I am a marketing researcher who prefers a quantitative view of reality. I am interested in statistics and data analysis methods. I observe the changes of the contemporary world with fascination. I read the books of Dostoyevsky and Lem with equal fascination. I am inspired by both Dukaj and Houellebecq, Gibson and Pynchon. I like listening to alternative rock. I'd like to have a beer with Kim Gordon. In my free time, I go to the mountains or visit the former republics of the USSR.
(2012)
Święto rewolucji
(Celebration of the revolution)
Poznań. The whole city is buzzing with rumors about the murder of the cult writer Sebastian Lisiecki. Late at night, someone takes boxes with documents from his apartment. The witnesses are Marcin, an employee of a consulting company who comes to Poznań for the fair, and Agnieszka, a sociology student.
This is how a fascinating book begins, the action of which takes place not only in Poland, but also in Norway, Montenegro, and finally in Armenia. Protasiuk masterfully multiplies threads and shows the activities of large corporations that compete with each other for the acquisition of the latest technologies. It's full of chases, twists, mysterious conspiracies and codes that the heroes need to decode. From the multi-story plot, an image of human civilization emerges at a critical and decisive moment for its future. Will there be a revolution?
(source: lubimyczytac.pl)