Štěpán Kučera: Clearly Deviates!
–Czechia
Born 1985 in Jablonec nad Nisou. He studied journalism and media studies at Charles University. He works as an editor of Salon Práva. He is the author of two short story collections (Tajná kronika Rychlých šípů [Secret Chronicle of the Rapid Arrows], 2006; Jidáš byl ufon [Judas was a UFO], 2016) and the novels Projekt Gilgameš [Project Gilgamesh] (2019) and Největší lekce dona Quixota [The Great Lesson of Don Quijote] (2021). "Overall, however, literature serves Kučera more as an inspiration, to which he adds his comments or stretches its possibilities," wrote Markéta Pilátová. "Just as Miguel de Cervantes was making fun of the fashionable knightly novels, Štěpán Kučera makes fun of the essence of literature - that is, of storytelling. But he does so with respect and great pleasure. The ambition to tell such a good, "great" story clearly deviates from contemporary Czech literature. "