{{Short description|Polish writer}} thumb|Radek Rak (2024) '''Radek Rak''' (born 1987) is a Polish veterinarian best known as a writer of fantasy literature.<ref name=bikra>[https://www.kkm.biblioteka.krakow.pl/laureaci/radek-rak-basn-wezowym-sercu/ Baśń o wężowym sercu albo wtóre słowo o Jakóbie Szeli]</ref>
He authored both novels and short stories. His novels are winners of several Polish literary awards.<ref>{{cite web|access-date=2026-03-24 |author=Piotr Konieczny |date=2026 |language=en |title=SFE: Rak, Radek |url=https://sf-encyclopedia.com/entry/rak_radek |website=The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction}}<!-- auto-translated from Polish by Module:CS1 translator --></ref> With the 2015 short story "Kwiaty paproci" ("Fern Flowers") he took part in the project ''Polish Legends''.
''Baśń o wężowym sercu'' was adapted into an opera by {{ill|Aleksander Nowak|pl}}<ref>[https://pwm.com.pl/pl/aktualnosci/szczegoly/3460210,w-srodku-jestesmy-basnia--premiera-wsponego-dziela-aleksandra-nowaka-i-radka-raka-na-tegorocznym-auksodrone.html?fbclid=IwAR3NIvKMje1Pw0EkXg0mBabH3cvNK0_h9LnfMeenpqAEph9VpJKFlcHkFtc „Baśń o sercu” – premiera wspólnego dzieła Aleksandra Nowaka i Radka Raka na tegorocznym AUKSODRONE]</ref> and for stage by {{ill|Beniamin Maria Bukowski|pl}}.<ref>[https://stary.pl/pl/repertuar/basn-o-wezowym-sercu/ Baśń o wężowym sercu], Helena Modrzejewska National Old Theatre</ref>
He is married<ref>[https://powergraph.pl/autorzy/radek-rak.html Radek Rak], publisher's webpage</ref> and a resident of Kraków.<ref name=bikra/>
==Novels== * ''Kocham cię, Lilith [''"I love you, Lilith"'']'' (2014, debut novel<ref name=bikra/>) ::Robert Z., a patient of a sanatorium is involved with "demonic painter Iwona" and the "intriguing doctor Małgorzata". But suddenly Iwona disappears and it turns out that nobody but Robert ever saw her... The novel, starting realistrically, gradually turns out into a dreamlike, illogical, fantastic tale... Eventually the titular Lilith appears as well...<ref>[https://lubimyczytac.pl/ksiazka/215837/kocham-cie-lilith Kocham cię, Lilith], ''{{ill|Lubimyczytać.pl|pl}}''</ref><ref>Victoria Ziegler, [https://www.gloskultury.pl/kocham-cie-lilith-recenzja/ Kobiece demony – Radek Rak – „Kocham cię, Lilith” [recenzja]]</ref> *''Puste niebo'' ["Empty Sky"] (2016) ::From publisher's review: "The novel was created out of longing for times gone by, a city that never existed and a history that could not have happened. ''Puste niebo'' tells the story of magical Lublin, extraordinary inhabitants of the former ''Kresy'' ["Eastern Borderlands"] and strange creatures from the borderlands of the afterlife. Radek Rak's novel is magical realism in its original Polish edition". The protagonist, Tołpi, a naive youth, smashes the Moon and has to make a new one, because the life without the Moon is disrupted. <ref>[https://powergraph.pl/ksiazki/puste-niebo.html ''Puste niebo''], publisher's review</ref> ::It was nominated for the Janusz A. Zajdel Award and won the Gold Distinction of the Jerzy Żuławski Literary Award.<ref name=bikra/> *''{{ill|Baśń o wężowym sercu albo wtóre słowo o Jakóbie Szeli|pl}}'' ["Fairytale about Snake's Heart, or Second Word about Jakob Szela"] (2019) ::The novel is loosely based on the legends about Jakub Szela, the leader of a 1846 peasant uprising known as the Galician slaughter.<ref name=jz2019>[https://booklips.pl/newsy/radek-rak-i-marta-potocka-laureatami-nagrody-im-janusza-a-zajdla-za-2019-rok/ Radek Rak i Marta Potocka laureatami Nagrody im. Janusza A. Zajdla za 2019 rok]</ref> :: The novel won several Polish literary awards, including the Janusz A. Zajdel Award,<ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-11-21 |title=Radek Rak i Marta Potocka laureatami Nagrody im. Janusza A. Zajdla za 2019 rok - Booklips.pl |url=https://booklips.pl/newsy/radek-rak-i-marta-potocka-laureatami-nagrody-im-janusza-a-zajdla-za-2019-rok/ |access-date=2023-09-20 |website=Booklips.pl - Serwis literacki. Newsy, recenzje, artykuły, wywiady. Książki i popkultura. |language=pl-PL}}</ref> the Nike Award,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Wyborcza.pl |url=https://wyborcza.pl/7,75410,26367581,nike-2020-dla-radka-raka-za-basn-o-wezowym-sercu.html |access-date=2023-09-20 |website=wyborcza.pl}}</ref> the {{ill|Nowa Fantastyka Awards|lt=Nowa Fantastyka Award|pl|Nagrody „Nowej Fantastyki”}} (Polish Book of the Year category)<ref>{{Cite web |last=A.Mason |title=Ogłoszono wyniki Nagrody Nowej Fantastyki 2020 |url=https://www.fahrenheit.net.pl/aktualnosci/ogloszono-wyniki-nagrody-nowej-fantastyki-2020/ |access-date=2023-09-20 |website=Fahrenheit |language=pl-PL}}</ref> and the Jerzy Żuławski Literary Award.<ref>{{Cite web |title=OGŁOSZENIE LAUREATÓW NAGRODY LITERACKIEJ IM. JERZEGO ŻUŁAWSKIEGO ‘2020 – Nagroda Literacka im. Jerzego Żuławskiego |url=https://www.nagroda-zulawskiego.pl/aktualnosci/ogloszenie-laureatow-nagrody-literackiej-im-jerzego-zulawskiego-2020 |access-date=2023-09-20 |website=www.nagroda-zulawskiego.pl}}</ref> *''{{ill|Agla. Alef|pl}}'' (2022) ::From publisher's summary: "''Agla'' is a daring adventure story, but also an insightful and moving psychological novel about growing up and changing, about love and discovering one's physicality, about disappointed friendships, exclusion and loneliness, about finding oneself and becoming a human being in the full sense of the word."<ref>[https://powergraph.pl/ksiazki/agla-alef.html Agla. Aleph], publisher's summary</ref> ::Winner of the Janusz A. Zajdel Award, Jerzy Żuławski Literary Award, Nowa Fantastyka Award (Polish Book of the Year category) *''{{ill|Agla. Aurora|pl}}'' (2023) ::From publisher's summary: "Agla. Aurora is a book about how good people accidentally build totalitarianism. And about how the answers to our questions often sound different than we would like them to."<ref>[https://powergraph.pl/ksiazki/gatunki/proza-polska/agla-aurora.html Agla. Aurora], publisher's summary</ref> ::Nominated for Zajdel Award .<ref>[https://rynek-ksiazki.pl/aktualnosci/nominacje-do-nagrody-im-janusza-a-zajdla-2024/ Nominacje do Nagrody im. Janusza A. Zajdla 2024]</ref> Nominated for Nowa Fantastyka.<ref>[https://instytutksiazki.pl/aktualnosci,2,ogloszono-nominacje-do-nagrod-%E2%80%9Enowej-fantastyki%E2%80%9D,9061.html Ogłoszono nominacje do Nagród „Nowej Fantastyki”]</ref><ref>[https://rynek-ksiazki.pl/aktualnosci/nagrody-nowej-fantastyki-przyznane-2/ Nagrody „Nowej Fantastyki” przyznane]</ref> * ''Agla. Abraxas'' (2025)
== References == {{Commons category|Radek Rak}} {{Reflist}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Rak, Radek}} Category:1987 births Category:Living people Category:Polish fantasy writers Category:Nike Award winners Category:Janusz A. Zajdel Award winners