Spain - Natural Consequences - Elia-Barceló
8th October 2025:
Found whilst updating the blog on my book from Catalonia, and debating with myself whether or not to split Catalonia and Spain into separate countries. I did, as this book looks great.
My journey trying to collect and read science fiction books from every country in the world!
3rd Sept 2025:
Found this
https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-history-of-bees/maja-lunde/9781471162770
I have a feeling i've read The morning Star by a Norweigian author, but it didn't have a sci fi feel to it.... this doesn't have much of a sci fi feel either, but its slips into the dystopian sub category, and looks into the future also! so its is a bit of a tick. not a solid marker pen TICK, just a pencil tick.
10th Sept 2025:
Purchased a second hand copy arrived today! I realised I hadn't read The Morning Star, but I had listened to the audio book, the book was ok, but not much happened, it was super weird and creepy. Just as it was getting going the book ended. Their is a sequal, or maybe a prequal. But i'm probably not going to bother with them. So I'm quite looking forward to The History of Bees.
Estonia - The Man who spoke Snakish - Andrus Kivirähk
another find whilst do a bit of a research session.
Looks a lot more like fantasy or folk lore rather than Sci Fi
28th Jan 2025:
Found this:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0C91X3GLB/?coliid=I20ZUCDU9A2AQ7&colid=34JE9HFDP3DZ3&psc=1&ref_=list_c_wl_lv_ov_lig_dp_it_im
Found with a bit of googling and reading this article:
http://www.concatenation.org/europe/spanish_science_fiction.html
and ordered a copy of Typescript of the Second Origin by Manuel de Pedrolo.
Meh, it's an average looking book, nothing to catch the eye, the title is long winded and not that attention grabbing either, its fairly short at only 160 pages, so should be a fairly quick read.
The Story:
Ok so, it's not super sci fi, I'm going to go full spoilers. The sci element is basically aliens kill all the humans apart a tiny amount who where missed because they were underwater. All buildings are partially destroyed. An alien is, presumed, stranded on the planet and killed by the two protagonists. Oh, the final chapter is set seven thousand years after the main story is played out, and discusses the 'typescript' that was found. And it discusses if the protagonists were the Adam and Eve of their civilization, and that are yet to discover the Alien race. So that covers all the science fiction in the book.
The story focuses on a young girl called Alba and a young boy named Dilac who are 15 and 11. They survive the alien invasion, and it's a really heart warming and fairly slow story around their adventures of becoming sustainable, traveling, and dealing with being alone. Thinking back, not much really happens, but I became completely engrossed and invested in their growing relationship and love. It's really well written and flows wonderfully. I can see why this book is required reading in Catalonian schools, and also quite surprised, as the Catalan region is very religious, and this didn't really touch on God's intervention or lack of it.
How Catalonian:
I did a bit of research on the book. And their is a HUGE amount of discussion on this book, which I didn't want to read, as I enjoyed the book for what it was. And didn't need to rethink it all with a whole heap of academic analysis, but it is their if you want it. The book is set in the Catalan region, and the geography and nature of the place is completely embedded into the story, so Si, it is mucho Catalan.
Recommend:
Yes a great story, not very sci fi but thoroughly enjoyable.
Found a copy of the book of Amazon for £3.50 so that was a nice win, and despite my dislike of Amazon it was the easiest and cheapest option..I know you should never judge a book by its cover. But the cover of this book is appalling. Its the the kind of cover I would pass over straight away. BRIGHT orange with green text boxes. Really didn't give off a science fiction vibe. And the name also, 'Lucifer's Dragon', it sounds like a fantasy book, and i'm not really a fan of fantasy book. But i do absolutely love a Song of Fire and Ice series of book. So this book sat on my shelf for a long time and other books over took it on my To Be Read pile. But i finally got round to opening it up and I've found quite enjoyable
After a little browsing through the wonderful spreadsheet I sorted the Novels tab by country of origin and scrolled down. I notice Denmark on the list. Denmark. I had searched for Danish sci fiction authors before. Mainly because I had search for Greenland science fiction authors, and Greenland is owned by Denmark, which brings up all kinds of decisions about what I can and can not tick off this list. But anyway, I have found a Danish science fiction author! After a little googling I found the below amazing independent book shop and ordered a copy: https://www.booklovers.co.uk/bookid.asp?ID=107570
I can't find any information on Johannes Allen on the internet, which is a bit frustrating, as if would be interesting to find out some more about him, and his career.
Bit of evening googling turning up João Barreiros and a translated short story of his:
http://www.infinityplus.co.uk/stories/silent.htm so if i ever do need to start reading short online stories rather than printed physical book. More reseach will continue in the hope of a proper book.
This was a perfect holiday book, a week in the sun with the family. I managed to sneak a few hours of reading in each day and was engrossed in LOVESTAR. Some of the quoted praise for the book compared the author to Orwell, Vonnegut and Douglas Adams, which piqued my interest as they are some of my favourite authors. However, I think that was just some lazy reviewing. Don't get me wrong, the book is great and deals with a light-hearted weird dystopian future, buts that's where the comparisons end.