Extensa

This was my first book by Jacek Dukaj. I was talking about sci-fi with a friend, and he recommended I check Dukaj out. He owned a few of his books but handed me this one, being the thinnest, with the words: “This one is short, read it completely to understand. You will either love or hate the style, just don’t drop it in the middle, or you won’t get it.” That’s how it all started.

I remember being overwhelmed by the way Dukaj constructs his worlds. They are complex and deeply futuristic. He has to explain how everything works and introduce new names for things, which can be exhausting at first. His style isn’t for everyone, but when you dive in, you can get completely absorbed.

I read this almost a decade ago, so my memory of the plot was a bit hazy. After a bit of research to jog my memory, I recall the core of it. The story is set in a future where humanity has split. Most have evolved into a post-human society, embracing technological augmentation. However, a small group remains “natural,” living in an enclave, resistant to this change. The protagonist is one of these last traditional humans.

The plot follows his journey and explores the conflict between these two groups, all while a mysterious and powerful alien technology, the “extensa,” looms in the background, capable of manipulating the very fabric of the cosmos.

It wasn’t an easy read, and maybe not his best, but it was definitely intriguing.