“The Children I Gave You, Oxalaia” by Cirilo Lemos, translated by Thamirys Gênova (Clarkesworld, September 1) The Night Guest by Hildur Knútsdóttir; translated from the Icelandic by Mary Robinette Kowal (Tor Nightfire, September 3) The Night Guest is an eerie and ensnaring story set in contemporary Reykjavík that’s sure to keep you awake at night.
The Full Moon Coffee Shop by Mai Mochizuki, translated from the Japanese by Jesse Kirkwood (Ballantine, August 20) In Japan, cats are a symbol of good luck. As the myth goes, if you are kind to them, they’ll one day return the favor. And if you are kind to the right cat, you might just
I had a great time talking about SF in Translation with Seth of the Hugos There Podcast! Listen to hear some recommendations, our thoughts on the field, and my unwavering enthusiasm for my favorite books and stories from around the world. Listen here.
I’ve recently read two excellent, hilarious stories by Indonesian author Rio Johan (listed below). They are part of a larger collection, not yet translated into English, called Genetically Modified Fruit, about a bio-engineering corporation that produces exotic fruits…with some very peculiar consequences (like world-dominating cherries!!). Hopefully, someone will translate and publish this entire collection, if
Pink Slime by Fernanda Trías, translated from the Spanish by Heather Cleary (Scribner, July 2) In a city ravaged by a mysterious plague, a woman tries to understand why her world is falling apart. An algae bloom has poisoned the previously pristine air that blows in from the sea. Inland, a secretive corporation churns out
translated by Christopher Moseley original publication (in Estonian): 2007 this edition (in English): Black Cat, 2015 442 pages grab a copy here or through your local independent bookstore or library First, I’d like to dwell on the fact that this is the first novel translated from the Estonian that I’ve ever read. For those of
“The Reflection of Sand” by Tan Gang, translated from the Chinese by Emily Jin (Clarkesworld, June 1) Wafers by Ha Seong-nan, translated from the Korean by Janet Hong (Open Letter, June 4) This 2006 collection of short stories is in line with the unsettling, engrossing style of Ha’s other two collections that have been translated
translated by Anne Milano Appel original publication (in Italian): 1960 first English edition: 1962, Secker & Warburg (titled Larger Than Life) this edition: 2024, NYRB Classics 136 pages grab a copy here or through your local independent bookstore or library *spoilers* Not until a third of the way through this short, dark, mysterious novel do
“Renting to Killers” by Elena Pavlova, translated from the Bulgarian by the author and Kalin M. Nenov (Asimov’s, May/June) Woodworm by Layla Martinez, translated from the Spanish (Spain) by Sophie Hughes and Annie McDermott (Two Lines Press, May 14) The house breathes. The house contains bodies and secrets. The house is visited by ghosts, by angels that
translated by the author original publication (from the Gikuyu): 2004 this edition: Pantheon, 2006 grab a copy here or through your local independent bookstore or library “Sprawling” is the best way to describe Kenyan author Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o’s Wizard of the Crow, a multi-layered, complex, and hilariously absurd magical realist book about the deeply corrupt
