(Spin 2/2011)
Welcome to the world of Finnish sf/f!
This is the special English language issue of Finland’s oldest sf/f magazine, Spin. The Turku Science Fiction Society has published Spin since 1977, but this is the first time the magazine appears in English. This issue, distributed in the Finncon-Animecon event in the summer 2011, aims at giving foreign readers a glimpse of Finnish sf/f and the Finnish fandom.
Spin usually includes both Finnish and foreign sf/f short stories as well as other current information from inside the scene, such as reviews, articles and news about books, movies, TV series and comics. In this issue, however, both the language and the content take a step away from the usual. Regular columns take a break. We’re here to show what Finnish sf/f is made of.
An article by Pasi Karppanen, The Finnish Fandom – All You Need To Know About It (pdf), previously published in the Kosmoskynä magazine, plunges into the sf/f fandom in Finland. Meanwhile, the Sidestream of Mainstream (pdf) details the current situation of sf/f literature in Finland.
We also had the opportunity to interview Hannu Rajaniemi, a Finnish science fiction author who has recently gained international audience with his excellent debut novel The Quantum Thief. He wrote the novel in English, but it was recently translated into Finnish. In addition, we feature some strips from Spin’s regular comic, Spacesheep.
In the short story section, we present Finnish writing through two recent, acclaimed short stories. The Horse Shoe Nail, by Mari Saario, won the Atorox Prize in 2009. The Atorox Prize is the oldest science fiction literature award in Finland. It is given annually to the best, previously unpublished sf/f short story of the year by the Turku Science Fiction Society.
The other story, Jenny Kangasvuo’s Cuckoo’s Egg, finished third in an erotic sf/f writing contest, Hekuma (the Finnish word translates roughly as “desire”). In 2008, the story was published in Hekuman huipulla (Top desire), an anthology of the contest’s best erotic sf/f stories.
We also decided to treat Finncon-Animecon attendees with greetings from former Finncon-Animecon Guests of Honour. We, the editors, are ready to let Spin out into the world. We hope that our readers catch a good glimpse of Finnish sf/f through this magazine.
Mirelle Aalto
(Translated by Jenni Perälä)
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