Tsar. He also meets Nikola Tesla in disguise, who has conceived a technology for manipulating and eventually destroying the Ice and has been hired by the Tsar to relieve Russia from the Winter. During the journey and upon his arrival in Irkutsk Gierosławski discovers that various political forces, including Followers of St. Marcyn, a sect worshiping the Ice led by Rasputin, followers of Nikolai Fyodorovich Fyodorov, who strive for assuring human immortality, and Siberian industrial potentates, are interested in his person and that Józef Piłsudski, in this reality leading a group of Sybiraks and Siberian separatists fighting for Polish independence, may possess knowledge about his father. Critical reception Lód was planned as a short story for Król bólu anthology, but has grown into an epic-length novel. The book, counting over 1,000 pages, was published in early December 2007 (samples were released in October issue of Nowa Fantastyka). It had been long-awaited by fans, as Dukaj's previous book – Perfect Imperfection – was published in 2004. Around the time of book's premier, Dukaj was interviewed by Polish radio stations Radio Kraków and by TOK FM. In December 2007, the book received the honorary prize at the Poznań Review of New Publications and was named "Book of Autumn 2007" organized by Raczyński Library in Poznań. In his review Wojciech Orliński writes that unlike many previous books by Dukaj, this one has excellent action, and names it a "sensational novel par excellence", and compares it to books by Ludlum (albeit in the science-fiction, alternate history genre). Notes References Lód on official pages of Jacek Dukaj News section on official pages of Jacek Dukaj External links English Excerpts from the novel Ice First four chapters free for download as a sample Jakub Demiańczyk Interview with Jacek Dukaj and discussion of "Lód", Dziennik.pl, 21 December 2007 Chat with Jacek Dukaj on "Lód", Wirtualna Polska, 6 December 2007 Wojciech Orliński, Dukaj, Jacek: Lód (review), Gazeta Wyborcza, 3 December 2007 Polish alternate history novels Polish science fiction novels Dystopian novels 2007 science fiction novels Wydawnictwo Literackie books Jacek Dukaj Head of Zeus books