The Dedalus Book of Finnish Fantasy

The Dedalus Book of Finnish Fantasy, edited by Johanna Sinisalo, translated by David Hackston / ISBN 9781903517291 / 337-page paperback

For this series, "fantasy" generally equals "the fantastic."

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The latest volume in the Dedalus European fantasy series, this anthology of short stories includes a wide range of texts covering the period from nineteenth century until today. The richness and diversity of the stories reflects the long tradition of fantasy in Finnish literature, ranging from the classics to experimental literature, from satire to horror. This is the first collection of Finnish short stories of its kind and almost all are translated into English for the first time. It includes work by the leading Finnish authors Aino Kallas, Mika Waltari, Arto Paasilinna, Bo Carpelan, Pentti Holappa, and Leena Krohn as well as contributions by the rising stars of Finnish fiction.

“David Hackston has superbly captured the voice, rhythm and nuances of each and every writer...At the same time this work explores and expands the definition of the genre itself: supernatural elements are presented as a natural part of otherwise realistic prose. This is a splendid collection for anyone interested in Finnish literature and, as such, serves as a wonderful ambassador for our culture abroad."--Irma Hirsjärvi in Keskisuomalainen

"Reading these Finnish short stories in English translation was a truly marvellous experience."--Johanna Vehkoo