The Inhumans and Other Stories: A Selection of Bengali Science Fiction (MIT Press / Radium Age)

The Inhumans and Other Stories: A Selection of Bengali Science Fiction (MIT Press / Radium Age)

Bodhisattva Chattopadhyay (Editor), Bodhisattva Chattopadhyay (Translated by)
$19.95
Publication Date: March 12th, 2024
Publisher:
The MIT Press
ISBN:
9780262547611
Pages:
188
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Description

The first English translation of a cult science fiction favorite by Hemendra Kumar Roy, one of the giants of early Bangla literature, and other sf stories from the colonial period in India.

Kalpavigyan—science fiction written to excite Bengali speakers about science, as well as to persuade them to evolve beyond the limitations of religion, caste, and class—became popular in the early years of the twentieth century. Translated into English for the first time, in this collection you’ll discover The Inhumans (1935), Hemendrakumar Roy’s satirical novella about a lost race of Bengali supermen in Uganda. Also included are Jagadananda Ray’s “Voyage to Venus” (1895), Nanigopal Majumdar’s “The Mystery of the Giant” (1931), and Manoranjan Bhattacharya’s “The Martian Purana” (1931).

About the Author

Bodhisattva Chattopadhyay is Associate Professor in Global Culture Studies at the University of Oslo. He is the leader of CoFUTURES, an international research group on contemporary futurisms headquartered in Oslo. He is a World Fantasy Award–winning editor, translator, writer, and critic of speculative fiction, and the producer of Kalpavigyan: A Speculative Journey, the first documentary film on Indian science fiction.

Praise for The Inhumans and Other Stories: A Selection of Bengali Science Fiction (MIT Press / Radium Age)

"The historical parallax provided by a book such as The Inhumans is . . . where the full potential of the [Radium Age] shines through. It is a very welcome addition to the series.”
—Locus Magazine

"Makes for a great introduction to this moment in SF history."
—Reactor Magazine

“The range of styles represented are compelling, both in the stories that they tell and in the way the authors represented in these pages blend the futuristic with unexpected dramatic elements. . . . A welcome expansion of speculative fiction for anglophone readers.”
—Words Without Borders

"Chattopadhyay’s collection will add to [the Bengali science fiction] canon in English and is sure to appeal to fans of sci-fi and general readers alike.”
—Kajal Magazine

"Chattopadhyay is an acknowledged authority. . . . [on] Bangala and science fiction stories from colonial India."
—The Bookseller

"Studying how sci-fi themes were treated by Bengalis is a worthwhile academic pursuit. . . . Offers a valuable peek into genre history.”
—Publishers Weekly

"A fascinating read. . . . shed[s] new light and complexity to the story that is science fiction.” 
—Transfer Orbit

“Mr. Chattopadhyay divines anti-colonialist sentiment within Roy’s satirical take on the strictures of civilization.”
—The New York Sun

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