Małe zielone ludziki

Małe zielone ludziki (Little Green Men) is a science fiction novel by Krzysztof Boruń, first published in 1985 by Krajowa Agencja Wydawnicza [pl] (in two volumes) in the series Fantazja–Przygoda–Rozrywka [pl] (Fantasy–Adventure–Entertainment), is classified as social, political, and afrofuturistic science fiction and is described as a dystopia.

The novel was written between 1978 and 1980.^[1] It was first published in 1985 by Krajowa Agencja Wydawnicza [pl] (in two volumes) as part of the series Fantazja–Przygoda–Rozrywka [pl] (Fantasy–Adventure–Entertainment). In 2014, the book was released as an e-book.^[2] In 2019, it was reissued by Stalker Books.^[3]

In the fictional, racist, and technologically advanced African country of Duskland (where the ruling white population is developing laser weapons and planning to conquer the world to cleanse it of colored races), a mysterious vortex called Vortex P appears, causing hallucinations and distorting the psyche of those near the phenomenon. The protagonist is Agnieszka Radej, a Polish student and émigré, who is an activist of a radical pro-ecological organization (considered by some to be terrorist). The vortex, which science cannot explain, is being exploited by local partisans fighting against the white colonizers. The organization she is a member of is trying to free its members held in Duskland, but their plan begins to unravel due to the effects of Vortex P.^[4][5]

In 2014, the book was reviewed for Esensja [pl] by Konrad Wągrowski and Miłosz Cybowski. The book was recognized as addressing still-relevant themes and as ambitious, though Wągrowski noted it might be overly so: "somewhere in all of this, the main point of the book escapes; the reader has trouble keeping up with the multitude of threads and characters, and the ending is not satisfying... There are also too many declarative musings, with opinions expressed in overly long monologues".^[6] Similarly, Miłosz Cybowski described the work as nostalgic and ambitious but felt it had more flaws than strengths, being weighed down by "verbose [...] dialogues and a completely unnecessary excess of unresolved threads". He criticized the "author's indecisiveness about what should be the main thread of the story", which results in "everything leading nowhere".^[7]

Jarosław Loretz critically reviewed the book for Esensja [pl] in 2016.^[8] He criticized many elements of the novel, which, at about 600 pages, he considered long and described as a "classic example of ambition outstripping writing ability". He was especially critical of the underdeveloped thriller aspect, which was overshadowed by "verbose, insanely boring dissertations" and the psychology of the characters. He described the main protagonist as not very feminine, naïve, with "murky motivations [and] peculiar reactions".^[8]

The work is classified as social^[9] and political science fiction.^[1][10] It has also been described as a dystopia.^[5]

According to Andrzej Niewiadowski [pl] and Antoni Smuszkiewicz [pl], authors of Leksykon polskiej literatury fantastycznonaukowej (1990), the book touches on themes such as "a civilization controlled by psychotropic substances and the issue of ecological threats".^[1] In 2014, Cybowski noted that the main themes of the novel are related to "power, totalitarianism, and control over society".^[7]

In Fantastyka socjologiczna: poetyka i myślenie utopijne (2008), Mariusz Maciej Leś wrote that "Boruń's novel is an example of combining investigation and intrigue, with the former predominating". He criticized the protagonist, stating that she is overwhelmed by the plot.^[5] Writing about the book, he observed that the thriller thread quickly takes a back seat, and the book becomes a philosophical "sequence of simulated discussions, masked lectures [where] paranoid knowledge takes the form of scenarios multiplying uncontrollably" (regarding the origin and control of Vortex P, according to various theories, responsibility lies with aliens, demons, corporations, scientists, Western countries (in particular, the CIA), communist countries, Islamic forces, and local authorities and their guerrilla opponents).^[5]

According to Dariusz Brzostek, writing in Przegląd Kulturoznawczy [pl] in 2021, the novel contains the most detailed futuristic depiction of Africa in Polish science fiction of the Polish People's Republic era.^[4] The country depicted in the book is largely inspired by South Africa – it is technologically advanced but racist, dominated by whites who exploit the local black population. The book critiques colonialism, but nonetheless "hope for Africa" comes from external factors – the mysterious vortex, as well as activists from anti-colonial movements and socialist-communist European countries. In this context, the book reflects how Africa was perceived in Poland during that period – supporting African countries' struggles for independence while simultaneously viewing Africa as underdeveloped and criticizing Western nations responsible for its colonization, suggesting that socialist-communist countries were more friendly towards Africa.^[4]