No one will read this

“Intelligent. Witty. Kafkaesque.” …someone would surely say if they read (or listened to) this. But no one is going to read (or listen to) this. Which is a shame, because inside you will find: 8 short stories that will change the way you look at the world forever! That is, unless your reality already includes walking through walls, time travel, beings inhabiting the fourth dimension, humanity as a breeding species for aliens, or a future where writers are reduced to mere prompt engineers for books written by AI. Although that last one is, of course, the scariest and also the saddest. Imagination and plot twists that will blow your socks off. That is, if you are wearing any. And if not, you should start. But let us not waste advertising space lecturing you on hosiery when it has nothing to do with the book. Except perhaps as a way to test if you share the author’s absurd sense of humour, which she uses in abundance throughout the stories. In ordinary human stories, the author displays her lifelong passion for science. Though passion by no means implies she actually understands science. Mostly she does not. On the other hand, have you ever read anything written by scientists? It is usually boring. And let us face it, you often do not understand it either. But you will definitely understand these stories, and they will keep you entertained. Even if you are a scientist, a bore, a briefs-wearer, or god forbid, all three at once. The author of the bestselling novels Božidara, Bohumil, Agnes and Zakázaná hora or Révi a Město snů presents her first collection of short stories. Hopefully not her last. That depends on whether anyone actually listens to this audiobook. “I want the reader to finish a story and think: ‘Wow, that is mental! But what if it were actually true?’ And then spend a week thinking about it.” – Veronika Hurdová “The old man hastily smoothed down his bald patch, from which a few remaining hairs stuck out rebelliously, and wriggled uncomfortably as if annoyed by an unprepared student turning up for an exam. "To put it simply, yes. My field is geometric topology. I study low-dimensional spaces and the behaviour of objects within them." “Yes, I read a little bit about it," Aňa rushed to reassure him she had done her homework. “You gained your professorship for it." “Do not say that!" he suddenly cried out sharply. “I… I am sorry. I know they stripped you of it last year." She preferred not to mention that, as a parting gift from the academic world, he also received a mock award for pseudoscience. No need to poke the bear. “They are idiots! They understand nothing!" Edvín struck the arm of the sofa with his fist. “You made a discovery…" she prompted, though it was not necessary. “But this is not about science," he grew angry again. “I wanted to warn everyone. We are in danger, but no one gets it. Everyone would rather cling to their cosy jobs and fat wallets than see the truth!" “And what is the truth, then?" “The truth? Do you really want to know the truth, Miss Králová?" – extract from the short story Koule