Atorox Award to Pasi Jääskeläinen

The 2012 Atorox award for best Finnish sf short story published last year was announced at Finncon. The winner is Kirje Lethelle (“A Letter to Lethe”) by Pasi Ilmari Jääskeläinen (published in the anthology Valhe & Viettelys). The top three this year were:

1. Kirje Lethelle by Pasi Ilmari Jääskeläinen (Valhe & Viettelys)
2. Uralin sininen by Tomi Jänkälä (Spin 4/2010)
3. Kuulen laulun kaukaisen by Petri Laine and Anne Leinonen (Portti 2/2011)

This was the 30th time the award was given. There were 22 stories in the long list.

R.I.P. Polaris

Found on Facebook today, a notification by ex-chair Mixu Lauronen: the Oulu sf society Polaris has been officially terminated. The society was founded on December 10, 2001, and the termination date is July 10.

The society has been inactive for years, but in its day it used to, among other things, publish the zine Mytago, and give out the Lumimies award, given for various fandom-related activities.

Peter Watts to Finland in 2013

Next year’s Finncon in Helsinki has added the acclaimed Canadian author Peter Watts to its Guests of Honor.

Peter Watts has won, among others, the Hugo and Shirley Jackson awards. His novel Blindsight will be published in Finnish in 2013.

Discworld Play in Turku

The Jo-Jo Theater in turku will put up a play “Vartiosto Valmiina Palvelukseen” based on the Terry Pratchett book by the same name (orig. Men at Arms) and the Stephen Briggs play adaptation of it.

The play is translated by Kristian Aho and directed by Kauno Takarautio, and it will premiere on October 12.

Finncon 2012 Program Announced

The Finncon 2012 program has been published on the convention web site. Go take a look!

Tähtivaeltaja Award to Hannu Rajaniemi

The Tähtivaeltaja Award for best science fiction book published in Finnish last year was given to Kvanttivaras (The Quantum Thief) by Hannu Rajaniemi on June 20.

The jury commended the book for successfully bringing together scientific ideas, engaging entertainment and literary quality. The combination of a detective story, roguish main character and hard science fiction offers an exhilarating amount of sfnal concepts and nods to its literary fore bearers (such as Arsene Lupin). The novel ponders the human identity and its boundaries within its many layers of memory and intrigue. The Quantum Thief is a rare combination of intelligence and entertainment.

The Tähtivaeltaja Award is administered by the Helsinki Science Fiction Society. The jury comprised critic Hannu Blommila, editor Toni Jerrman, critic Elli Leppä, and critic Antti Oikarinen.

Meet Cat Valente

Cat Valente is currently in Turku with her husband Dmitri. They would like to meet local fandom for drinks and chat at Cosmic Comic Café tonight at 7 PM. Welcome!