Happy Tuesday, shipmates! It’s Alex, and I’ve got new releases and recommendations this week that are all SFF translated to English! It’s so exciting to see our genre go more international every year and give us access to more cool stories — enjoy! Stay safe out there, space pirates, and I’ll see you on Friday!
Let’s make the world a better place, together. Here are two places to start: Palestinian Children’s Relief Fund, which provides medical and humanitarian relief to children in the Middle East regardless of nationality, religion, or political affiliation; and Ernesto’s Sanctuary, a cat sanctuary and animal rescue in Syria that is near and dear to my heart.
Bookish Goods
Finnish Forest Troll Postcard by Tuonenkalla
One of our translated books is by a Finnish author, so I went looking for Finnish trolls and found this gorgeous print of a painting. Check out the other prints from this Finnish author! $3
New Releases
The Inhumans and Other Stories: A Selection of Bengali Science Fiction edited and translated by Bodhisattva Chattopadhyay
This collection of Bengali science fiction contains stories that have never been translated into English before, showcasing stories from the early twentieth century that challenged the limitations of religion, caste, and class.
Jumpnauts by Hao Jingfang, translated by Ken Liu
The world has been divided into the Pacific League of Nations and the Atlantic Division of Nations, both sides on a hair trigger…but neither is prepared for the revelation that aliens have perhaps been influencing Earth for thousands of years and are trying to contact us more directly now. Three scientists from the Pacific League of Nations rush to make a contact plan before their Atlantic counterparts can, fearful of the likely militaristic response from the other side.
For a more comprehensive list of new releases, check out our New Books newsletter.
Riot Recommendations
In keeping with the theme from out new releases, here are two more books in translation to check out.
Troll: A Love Story by Johanna Sinisalo, translated by Herbert Lomas
One night, a young photographer named Angel discovers a group of drunk teenagers tormenting an injured young troll in the courtyard of his apartment building. He takes in the wounded little creature, half expecting it to be gone when he wakes. Instead, he finds himself with a young troll to care for, and soon discovers that it will influence his life in ways he could have never imagined.
Slipping by Mohamed Kheir, translated by Robin Moger
A journalist named Seif teams up with a former exile now returned to Egypt in the wake of the Arab Spring. Together, they explore their country’s strangest and most magical places, including a spot where one might walk on the Nile’s waters. But as they travel, Seif begins to piece together his own life and its trauma’s…including the answer of what happened to his lover, Alya.
See you, space pirates. If you’d like to know more about my secret plans to dominate the seas and skies, you can catch me over at my personal site.