Hello everyone

[Auer]

Thanks for the murky and fishy cocktails GOLLUM

Finnish fantasy writers? Hmm... here's some of them:
Johanna Sinisalo (this name you may have heard before)
Anu Holopainen
Sari Peltoniemi
Ville Vuorela
Leena Laulajainen
Antti Halme
Mila Teräs

[GOLLUM]

Glad you liked the cocktails, plenty more where they came from dear..

HMMM.. I know of Johanna but her work is more Sci Fi than fantasy I would say. I assume you've read probably her most famous book outside and inside Finland Troll A Love Story (aka Not after Sundown for Non-US audiences) winner of the prestigious Finlandia award, an urban fantasy novel that very much takes a swipe I think at the GOD of consumerism that could probably have done with some tighter editing IMO... Still an interesting read.

Anu Holopainen I think has written some Finish works based on your local folklore, don't know much about her really. I'm sure if I mention the titles Kalevala and it's slightly less famous cousin to outsiders Kanteletar you'll know we're talking powerhouse Finish folklore collections that are basically national treasures in your country. They’ve been translated into English and I've seen them, so they may be worth pointing out to Alia who runs the YA forum.

Sari Peltoniemi, Leena Laulajainen and the more recent Antti Halme are all Childrens/YA authors albeit there's limited translations of their work into English to my knowledge.

Mila Teräs and Ville Vuorela I know nothing off.....

Sorry, my knowledge of Finnish folklore and authors isn't that great, I'm stronger on Norwegian and German (second language of mine) LOL!..

[GOLLUM]

OH I almost forgot to mention I'm planning on purchasing the Dedalus Book Of Finnish Fantasy compiled by Johanna which basically provides for in many cases a first, English translations of Finnish folkloric short stories from the 1800s to the modern day. It's due for publication by around Christmas time and is essential reading for anyone interested in learning more about this country's literary heritage....

[Auer]

Yes, I've read Sinisalo's book, a great read but not really totally to my taste. She's really more of a science fiction writer, but I think Not Before Sundown is perhaps more fantasy than sci-fi. Nevertheless she's one of the top-names in finnish sci-fi/fantasy genre.

Kalevala is really THE book about finnish tradition and mythology, and so is Kanteletar, too. If one really wants to read one book about finns, I'd say that Kalevala is the book to read, although it might be a little difficult
Sari Peltoniemi, Anu Holopainen and Leena Laulajainen have written many fantasy books, but I think that very few of them - or maybe none - have been translated into english. That's sad because I think that foreigners could really like the sound of finnish fantasy. There could be something different in it
I think that only lately finnish writers have really started to use our own traditions and myths in fantasy. Even a lot of finns don't realize how much there is to be found in our history and beliefs.

GOLLUM, your knowledge of finnish writers and folklore astonished me, positively. Very nice to see you know our writers - now you know one more, heh
I'm looking forward to getting my hands on Johanna's book of finnish fantasy, too.

Oh yes, more cocktails this way

[GOLLUM]

Correct, Johnanna is a major finnish sci fi/fantasy author and as Not Before Sundown deals with a relationship b/w a human and a Troll within a modern setting probably more fantasy.

Actually you'll find some examples of Sari Peltoniemi, Anu Holopainen and Leena Laulajainen's work translated but YES its' not a lot....

Yes I've known of the existence of Kalevala and Kanteleta for some time now and read extracts of them from English translations dating just over a decade ago. I really like reading about the folklore of other countries in poems and stories.

I too am looking forward to publication of that Finnish "Classic" Authors book as I have a fairly strong interest in fantasy authors from previous centuries as well as the modern day. Some of the classic authors mentioned include Aino Kallas, Mika Waltari, Arto Paasilinna and Pentti Holappa who you may've already read and would know generally wrote much more than just within the fantasy Genre.

My knowldege on classic authors is reasonable but some people here are Encyclopeadic in what they know. You'll soon find that this forum can be both entertaining and a serious education into Sci Fi and Fantasy literature & film.

Bye for now and I'll mix you up some more cokctails complete with Finnish Ice Cubes...

[Auer]

Been painting the house, hands are covered with paint grrr... Mika Waltari wrote very famous novels, of which many (if not all) have been translated into several languages. Arto Paasilinna has written mostly humorous novels - very popular but for me too light and funny.
When you mentioned Aino Kallas, it reminded me of her book - "Wolf's Bride" - which I read a little time ago. Very nice little novel about the myths of werewolves.
Now I need a cold beer I'll raid GOLLUM's murky pool, there should be some cans left...

[GOLLUM]

Hope the house renovation is going well Auer.

Mika Waltari as you say has written several well known novels including historical novels. I've seen a copy of "The Egyptian" lying around somewhere, looks interesting, you read it?

I've read through the Wolf's Bride before and seen a couple of 1st edition Hardcover 1930 editions for sale from Antique book sellers here in Australia. Something of a collector's item perhaps.

Plenty of cold beers Auer along with some of my special brew. Here take a long cool sip you deserve it....

[Auer]

Painting has gone quite well, thanks for asking, GOLLUM. I'm painting the whole interior of my cave because I hate white walls...
Mika Waltari's historical novels like The Egyptian, The Etruscan, The Roman or The Dark Angel are really worth reading. I've read the egyptian and the etruscan long time ago and I really enjoyed them a lot. As a matter of fact your reminding of them made me feel like reading them again.
I think the Wolf's bride's first edition is a collector's item really.
I have lots of quite old books, as my grandfather's brother was a published author and he collected books of course (and he had something to do with the same literary liberal group than Mika Waltari).

Ahh, cold beer - the nectar of underground gods...

[GOLLUM]

Well when you're done painting that Cavern of yours you can start work on my basement...

Yes I've seen copies of all those books you mention but not read them yet!

That first edition of Wolf's Bride is a collector's item and not particulalry cheap but then again maybe you can't really put a price on litetarture/art right?

HMM..you're saying your Great Uncle was associated with "Tulenkantajat" aka The Torchbearers in the 1920s, a left wing conservative group who celebrated urban life. Cool!...

BTW Cool beer is the Nectar of above ground Gods too..

[Auer]

Ahem... it's done - my cave is now quite yellowish. What colour would you prefer for your basement GOLLUM? Slimy green?

You seem to know a lot about Finland, cool My favourite subject, my Great Uncle, Eino Auer - he was associated with many artistic things back at 1920's. Mostly very patriotic and right wing stuff like Suojeluskunta but with Tulenkantajat too. As he was working in a publishing house at some time, writing, drawing, translating and painting he knew Akseli Gallen-Kallela and lots of other quite famous guys at that time. Died as a captain in the continuation war up north, in the battles of Kiestinki.

I agree, you can't put a price to some things like literature/art. Collector's items can be very expensive, but they ARE valuable.

Dark beer is I think the nectar of the underworld gods... who knows

[GOLLUM]

Have decided no need to colour it mate it already has a rather unique tinge to it...

That Uncle of yours sounds like he would have been an extremely interesting person to know!!

Yeh tell me about expensive. I've accquired in the past some original editions of famous fantasy literary works up to in $US 4,500 Now that's OUCH with a capital O..

Not sure on Dark Beer being the nectar of the gods but the Babyloninans 2,000 Plus BC certainly enjoyed a drop or two of what they described as a dark beer.

Don't forget that your famous Kalevala also has an enitre section dedicated to the brewing of beer, so you Finns could be onto something after all....

[Auer]

OUCH... Have you found and looted Smaug's treasure, GOLLUM

Well, beer has always been very dear to us finns - in Kalevala we can find at least one proof of that. By the way, have you seen translations of Aleksis Kivi? Perhaps books like "The Seven brothers" or "The Heath cobbers" are familiar to you?

Yeah, lets leave the cavern just as it was *wipes away first spots of slimy green paint

[GOLLUM]

Nope no Smaug's treasure here just a bit of hard saving.

I've heard of the Seven Brothers but that's about it, although there's most likely English translations of this....

[Auer]

Yes - there are lots of english translations of Aleksis Kivi's works. He is considered as the "national writer" of Finland.


JUHANI: On one corner of the earth a day of peace still gleams for us. Ilvesjärvi lake yonder, below Impivaara, is the harbour to which we can sail away from the storm. Now my mind is made up.
--LAURI: Mine was made up last year already.
--EERO: I'll follow you even into the deepest cave on Impivaara, where it is said the Old Man of the Mountains boils pitch, with a helmet made of a hundred sheepskins on his head.
--TUOMAS: We'll all move there from here.
--JUHANI: Thither we'll move and built a new world.
(from Seven Brothers)

By the way just today I found an old book in one online second-hand bookshop, printed in the 1930's. The book is illustrated by my great-uncle - had to buy it

[GOLLUM]

I'll chase up Seven Brothers at some stage.

How good's that, an old book illustrated by your Great Uncle..