Speculative Fiction in Translation: Terra Nova

Terra Nova: An Anthology of Contemporary Spanish Science Fiction, edited by Mariano Villareal co-selected by Mariano Villareal and Luis Pestarini translated from the Spanish by Sue Burke and Lawrence Schimel Sportula June 15, 2013 258 pages Outstanding novella-length stories make up this important collection of contemporary Spanish-language science fiction. Thanks to translators Sue Burke and … Continue reading Speculative Fiction in Translation: Terra Nova

Speculative Fiction in Translation: The Bottom of the Sky

The Bottom of the Sky by Rodrigo Fresán translated from the Spanish by Will Vanderhyden Open Letter Books May 19, 2018 266 pages ** warning: here be spoilers** I’ve got to be honest with you. I seriously don’t know how I’m going to write any kind of coherent review of Fresán’s The Bottom of the … Continue reading Speculative Fiction in Translation: The Bottom of the Sky

Speculative Fiction in Translation: The Inhabited Island

The Inhabited Island by Arkady and Boris Strugatsky [originally translated from the Russian in 1977 as Prisoners of Power; this new translation is of the uncensored version] translated by Andrew Bromfield Chicago Review Press February 4, 2020 416 pages This novel from the Strugatskys’ Noon Universe is not just about a space traveler from Earth … Continue reading Speculative Fiction in Translation: The Inhabited Island

Speculative Fiction in Translation: Solaris

Solaris by Stanislaw Lem originally published in Polish in 1961 first translated into English from the French version (by Jean-Michel Jasiensko, 1966) by Joanna Kilmartin and Steve Cox (1970) first direct Polish-to-English translation by Bill Johnston (2011) *contains spoilers Much has been written about Solaris over the years, including the differences between the Polish-to-French-to-English translation … Continue reading Speculative Fiction in Translation: Solaris

Speculative Fiction in Translation: The Old Axolotl: Hardware Dreams

The Old Axolotl: Hardware Dreams by Jacek Dukaj translated from the Polish by Stanley Bill Allegro March 16, 2015 160 pages This isn’t your grandfather’s reading experience, and that’s the point. Jacek Dukaj, Poland’s most famous living sci-fi writer, has created a multi-dimensional text that explores what it means to be a human versus a … Continue reading Speculative Fiction in Translation: The Old Axolotl: Hardware Dreams

Speculative Fiction in Translation: Legend of the Galactic Heroes, Volume 1: Dawn

Legend of the Galactic Heroes, Volume 1: Dawn by Yoshiki Tanaka translated from the Japanese by Daniel Huddleston Haikasoru March 8, 2016 304 pages Legend of the Galactic Heroes truly lives up to its name: it takes the reader on a journey across several centuries and many light-years to tell a story that confirms what … Continue reading Speculative Fiction in Translation: Legend of the Galactic Heroes, Volume 1: Dawn

Speculative Fiction in Translation: The Three-Body Trilogy

The Three-Body Problem by Cixin Liu translated from the Chinese by Ken Liu series: Remembrance of Earth’s Past (Book 1) Tor Books November 11, 2014 400 pages The Dark Forest by Cixin Liu translated from the Chinese by Joel Martinsen series: Remembrance of Earth’s Past (Book 2) Tor Books August 11, 2015 512 pages Death's … Continue reading Speculative Fiction in Translation: The Three-Body Trilogy