Pinoy speculative-fiction writers make gains with Czech publishers

Stories by Filipino speculative-fiction writers are gaining success with Czech publishers, the Czech Embassy in the Philippines reported recently. 

Proof of this is the publication of Krocení Sopek, the Czech edition of an anthology of Southeast Asian steampunk stories edited by Jaymee Goh and Joyce Ching, titled SEA is Ours, which was published last November.

The publication of the Czech edition was announced by Czech Ambassador to Manila Jaroslav Olša Jr. during the recent launch of the Best Philippine Speculative Fiction Vol. 10 anthology, edited by Palanca award winners Dean Francis Alfar and Nikki Alfar, at the Shangri-La Plaza mall in Mandaluyong City.

In a statement, the Czech embassy noted that the Czech edition of “this important book” marks the debut of five Filipino writers in the language, three of whom have been featured in previous Best Philippine Speculative Fiction volumes: Palanca award winners Kate Osias and Paolo Chikiamco, who wrote “The Unmaking of Cuadro Amoroso” and “Between Severed Souls,” respectively; and GMA News Online science and technology editor Timothy James Dimacali, author of “On the Consequence of Sound.”

The other two are Alessa Hinlo, who wrote “The Last Aswang,” and United States-based Marilag Angway, whose “Chasing the Volcanoes” provided the title of the Czech edition.

Hana Fruhwirtová, editor at Czech publishing house Gorgona, which published Krocení Sopek, said she “loved that, [although] every story was totally different, the anthology itself is very well-balanced and compact.”

“Volcanic energy, primeval forests´ monsters, mechanical insects, and heroines full of energy create an extraordinary and fantastic mix,” she added.

For his part, Krocení Sopek translator Jan Kravík said that, “while translating the book, I discovered [a] whole new world—[the] fascinating and captivating world of Philippine mythology. I am sure this is not my last encounter with Philippine fantastic literature.”

It’s not the first time that Filipino speculative fiction has been translated into Czech. Last year the monthly Czech literary magazine Plav published a special “Literatura ng Pilipinas” issue that featured two such stories by Rochita Loenen-Ruiz and Crystal Koo.

Also, a forthcoming issue of the magazine will publish translated Asian science-fiction stories that are expected to features pieces by Andrew Drilon and Kristine Ong Muslim.

And European science-fiction monthly magazine XB-1, established in 1990, will have a short story by Dean Francis Alfar translated into Czech later this year by Czech writer Ondej Neff, who visited the Philippines last year.

With these works in the pipeline, the number of Filipino speculative fiction writers whose works are translated into Czech will rise to 10 in a span of one year. TMM