Radek Rak

1 universe Last reviewed 2026-08-20

Radek Rak, born in 1987, is a Polish veterinarian and novelist who has become one of Poland's most acclaimed contemporary fantasy writers. He debuted with Kocham cię, Lilith (2014), a dreamlike novel following a sanatorium patient, followed by Puste niebo (2016), a work of magical realism set in a fantastical version of Lublin. His best-known novel, Baśń o wężowym sercu, czyli wtóre słowo o Jakóbie Szeli (2019), loosely reimagines the life of peasant-uprising leader Jakub Szela and the 1846 Galician uprising, blending folklore with historical tragedy; it was later adapted into both an opera and a stage production. He went on to write the Agla trilogy, comprising Agla. Alef (2022), a psychological coming-of-age story about love and self-discovery, Agla. Aurora (2023), which explores how ordinary people can inadvertently build totalitarian systems, and the forthcoming Agla. Abraxas (2025). Rak also contributed the short story "Kwiaty paproci" to the 2015 Polish Legends anthology project. His novels have been honored with several of Poland's leading genre and literary prizes, including the Janusz A. Zajdel Award, the Nike Award, the Jerzy Żuławski Literary Award, and the Nowa Fantastyka Award, cementing his reputation as a distinctive voice blending Polish folklore, magical realism, and social commentary.

Universe(s)

Books

• The Tale of the Serpent's Heart (2019) · The Tale of the Serpent's Heart Core Canon

Aggregate across all universes

• Total Core Canon books across all universes: 1 book
• Award recognitions across all universes: 2 (2 won)

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