Recruit 244

The world of the not-so-distant future is a place torn by wars, changing climate and endless waves of refugees. But behind the high walls that protect the old continent from the dangerous world outside, life is happy and comfortable. People in interweaving urban zones know how to live healthy lives, how to deal with their emotions, and what they need to avoid. Their lives are governed and safeguarded by a perfect and elaborate System. For fourteen-year-old Jony, it is home. But one day, he is selected for a secret military mission. He must launch a new program to protect his world. But every now and then, cracks appear in any system…

František Tichý began writing the novel just before the outbreak of the Covid epidemic. His questions about the young generation’s dependence on the digital world suddenly took on a new and unexpected dimension. What is perfect and constant connectivity? Where are the limits of responsibility for the state and the individual? And where is the real danger – in those that try to manipulate, or in our very selves?

This is the final book in a loose trilogy for teen readers by František Tichý, illustrated by Stanislav Setinský, which moves from past (Transport Beyond Eternity) to present (A Labyrinth of Incomplete Encounters) to dystopian sci-fi future (Recruit 244).