2019
2019
Grand Prize
Phot. by Albert Zawada
Jacek Dukaj
the writer who foretells the end of the scripture. Born in 1974, prose writer, essayist, critic. Author of, among others the novels "Black Oceans", "Other Songs", "Perfect Imperfection", "Ice", "Wroniec" and numerous short stories - including the "Cathedral" filmed by Tomasz Bagiński - gathered, among others in the volumes "In the land of infidels" and "The King of Pain". Translator-reinterpretator of Conrad's "Heart of Darkness". Multiple laureate of the Janusz A. Zajdel Award, nominated several times for the Polityka’s Passport, also for the Nike, Cogito and Angelus literary awards; laureate of the Kościelski Prize, laureate of the 2009 European Literary Award. Five-time laureate of the Jerzy Żuławski Award. He recently published "After Writing", an essay-fleuve, in which he describes how the age of writing ends. Netflix, based on his novel "Old Axolotl", produces the series "Into the Night". The writer's website: www.dukaj.pl
(2019)
Imperium chmur
(in the anthology "Inne światy")
(Empire of clouds)
The fall of samurai culture and the birth of a new Japan. Life, Science and War. A literary masterpiece inspired by "The Doll" by Bolesław Prus.
At the end of the 19th century, Emperor Mutsuhito was visited by Stanisław Wokulski, the emissary of the Land That Does Not Exist, to forge an alliance based on Dr. Geist's discovery: the technology of a metal lighter than air.
In the mountain shipyards of Hokkaidō built by Julian Ochocki, under the cover of clouds, the openwork fleet of the Imperial Navy of Heaven is formed. And every word and deed of Ochocki is recorded by Kiyoko, the daughter of a samurai rebel against the orders of reason and democracy. And it is through Kiyoko that we experience the industrial revolutions born of calligraphy, Japan's rewritten war and the history of its impossible transformation. We experience the passing of languages, customs and civilization.
An extraordinary literary journey awaits you. The Empire of Clouds is a multitude of characters, images and ideas, a wealth of historical and literary references. It is a novel about the wandering of meanings between minds and cultures, and about the art of pure experiencing.
(Source: lubimyczytac.pl)
2019
Gold Distinction
Phot. by Andrzej Banas
Anna Brzezińska
born in 1971. Writer and medievalist, three-time laureate of the Janusz A. Zajdel Award, associate of ‘Polityka’ and columnist for ‘Wysokie Obcasy Extra’. Her achievements include the novels „Zbójecki gościniec”, „Żmijowa harfa” and „Letni deszcz”, „Sztylet” and many short stories. The author of the monumental „Córki Wawelu” („Daughters of Wawel”) and a multi-layered novel "Woda na sicie", based on the records of interrogations accused of practicing magic La Vecchia before the tribunal of the inquisition. For this work she received the Nowa Fantastyka Award and the Golden Distinction of Jerzy Żuławski Award. The winner of the Żuławski Award is Brzezińska for the second time, because in 2009 she acquired the Silver Distinction for her novel „Ziemia niczyja”.
When she is not writing, she cultivates a garden in which she grows historic varieties of roses and apple trees.
(2019)
Woda na sicie. Apokryf czarownicy
(Water on the sieve. The witch's apocrypha)
A new book by the author of "Córki Wawelu" ("Daughters of Wawel"). This time, the scene of events is not the mansion of the last Jagiellons, but a fantastic land modeled on early Renaissance Italy and the dungeons of the Inquisition. It is from there that the bastard woman, thrown out of society La Vecchia, accused of practicing magic, spins her story.
Her mother was a country girl, a local harlot, or maybe a secret mistress of the heir of these lands? La Vecchia is tangled up in testimony. She tells about the unforgettable, cursed night when she lost her mother and was raped herself. But what monster escaped from the circus did the drunken torturers kill? Supposedly he was a dragon. Or maybe a man? There is no single truth to emerge from her story. La Vecchia runs around. Is he arranging a theater for the inquisition, trying to protect her life? Or maybe she is slowly going insane? Is she a witch or a lonely woman who wants to remain independent in a world dominated by men? What mysterious game is she playing with the cunning office?
"Woda na sicie" is a multi-layered, thrilling novel based on the records of interrogations, dealing with the subject of witch trials and controversial practices of the inquisition. It is also a study of the interviewee, and at the same time a continuation of the story about women involved in a history created by men. Another show of Anna Brzezińska's writing skills, whose heroines are remembered long after reading, regardless of whether they are court mascots, Jagiellonian princesses or witches.
(Source: lubimyczytac.pl)
2019
Silver Distinction
Robert M. Wegner
Polish writer, author of fantasy stories and novels, permanently living in Silesia. He publishes under a pseudonym. Husband of a wonderful woman and father of two amazing daughters. He made his debut in 2002 in the ‘Science Fiction’ monthly with the short story "Ostatni lot nocnego kowboja", and he published his first book in 2009 in the Powergraph publishing house, with which he is associated to this day. He is best known from the fantasy series titled "Tales from the Meekhan Borderland", although he also has SF stories to his credit. His books are translated into Czech, Russian and Ukrainian. Laureate of the Jerzy Żuławski Literary Award also in 2013 and 2016 (Silver Distinctions).
(2019)
Każde martwe marzenie
(Every dead dream)
Volume 5 of the series "Opowieści z meekhańskiego pogranicza" ("Tales from the Meekhan borderland")
Deana d'Kllean, once a Singer of Remembrance and a master of the sword, and today the chosen one of the Fire God, ruling the desert principality, stands on the brink of war. The slave uprising that broke out at the southern borders of the country is becoming more and more widespread. Genno Laskolnyk, along with his chaardan of free riders, falls into the middle of the war. What is he looking for among the slaves who have decided to throw off the yoke of bloody lords? Meanwhile, thousands of miles north, the Red Sixes discover a mystery that has claimed more than one victim. Will the courage of highlanders save their lives?
Meekhan is streaming down his blood and nothing seems to stop the flame that engulfs the Empire.
"Opowieści z meekhańskiego pogranicza" ("Tales from the Meekhan Borderland") by Robert M. Wegner is a colorful, epic fresco, in which the fates of full-blooded characters intertwine, and human dramas adjoin the intrigues of the gods and mysteries from thousands of years ago. The best-selling series was appreciated by readers not only in Poland, but also in Russia, where "Opowieści..." won the best fantasy award of the year.
(Source: lubimyczytac.pl)