Boletus Arcanus

April 2011, 306 pages

Available material: English sample

In this whimsical horror story, Miloš Urban playfully deals with a traditional Czech pasttime – mushroom hunting. Young editor Gregor Marty encounters a mysterious drug, struggles with it and almost wins. In return, he acquires youth, beauty and erotic charm, but also an agonising dependence on this special delicacy. Marty must choose whether to continue this lethal relationship or attempt to return to his everyday life.

In the Czech woods an uncanny mushroom called Boletus arcanus starts to grow. It fulfills the wishes of anyone who manages to find it. It is crucial, however, to think about what we really want from those beautiful mushrooms and whether it’s just not better to leave them in the ground. As they offer eternal youth if you eat them, there seems to be a very large market fort hem — so there is never enough of them — so the mushroom hunters start hunting each other.

The book features 3D illustrations courtesy of Pavel Růt and also encompasses a 3D book-mark.