Hannu Rajaniemi: “Collected Fiction“
Collection of 19 stories (all the author’s short fiction to date)
“Rajaniemi combines incredible technological expertise with such a vast imagination that many of his stories leave me overwhelmed by the worlds he creates. This collection demonstrates his breadth as well, involving everything from his invention of neurofiction to his stories of algorithmic romance to his tales that invoke ancient Finnish gods. Whatever the genre or subject, Rajaniemi’s stories are guaranteed to be interesting, unique, and utterly captivating. If a science fiction author’s job is to “think of impossible things,” then I can’t imagine anyone who does it better.” —Bookaneer
“Inside the firewall the city is alive. Buildings breathe, cars attack, angels patrol, and hyperintelligent pets run wild in the streets.
With unbridled invention and breakneck adventure, Hannu Rajaniemi is on the cutting-edge of science fiction. His postapocalyptic, postcyberpunk, and posthuman tales are full of exhilarating energy and unpredictable optimism.
How will human nature react when the only limit to desire is creativity? When the distinction between humans and gods is as small as nanomachines—or as large as the universe? Whether the next big step in technology is 3D printing, genetic alteration, or unlimited space travel, Rajaniemi writes about what happens after.”
Hardcover: 240 pages
Publisher: Tachyon Publications; Limited edition (May 19, 2015)
Hannu Rajaniemi (born 9 March 1978) is a Finnish author of science fiction and fantasy, who writes in both English and Finnish. He lived in Edinburgh, Scotland, nowadays in US and was a founding director of a commercial research organisation, ThinkTank Maths.
Rajaniemi was born in Ylivieska, Finland. He holds a BSc in Mathematics from the University of Oulu, a Certificate of Advanced Study in Mathematics from the University of Cambridge and a PhD in Mathematical Physics from the University of Edinburgh. Prior to starting his PhD candidature, he completed his national service as a research scientist for the Finnish Defence Forces.
While pursuing his PhD in Edinburgh, Rajaniemi joined Writers’ Bloc, a writers’ group in Edinburgh that organizes semi-regular spoken word performances and counts Charlie Stross amongst its members. Early works included his first published short story “Shibuya no Love” in 2003 and his short story “Deus Ex Homine” in Nova Scotia, a 2005 anthology of Scottish science fiction and fantasy, which caught the attention of his current literary agent, John Jarrold.
Rajaniemi gained attention in October 2008 when John Jarrold secured a three-book deal for him with Gollancz,on the basis of only twenty-four double-spaced pages.
His debut novel, „The Quantum Thief”, was published in September 2010 by Gollancz in Britain and was published in May 2011 by Tor Books in the U.S.
The novel has been nominated for the 2011 Locus Award for Best First Novel. A sequel, “The Fractal Prince”, was published in September 2012 by Gollancz in Britain, and in October 2012 by Tor in the US. Third book in the series is called “The Causal Angel”, and was published in July 2014 by Gollancz in the UK and by Tor in the US.
Awards and honors
2012 Tähtivaeltaja Award, winner (best science fiction book published in Finnish) for “The Quantum Thief”.
2011 Science Fiction & Fantasy Translation Awards, winner, Short Form category, translation of Hannu Rajaniemi’s “Elegy for a Young Elk”.
2011 Locus Award for Best First Novel, nominee, “The Quantum Thief”
2011 John W. Campbell Memorial Award, third place, “The Quantum Thief”
2013 John W. Campbell Memorial Award, nominee, “The Fractal Prince”
Bibliography
Short fiction
“Shibuya no Love”, Published in futurismic.com, 2003
“Deus Ex Homine”, First anthologized in Nova Scotia: New Scottish Speculative Fiction, 2005; The Year’s Best Science Fiction 23, 2006, edited by Gardner Dozois, ;Year’s Best SF 11, 2006, edited by David Hartwell and Kathryn Cramer,
“His Master’s Voice”,published in Interzone 218, October 2008
“Elegy for a Young Elk”, published in Subterranean, Spring 2010 ; Won the award for short from in the 2011 Science Fiction & Fantasy Translation Awards.
“The Server and the Dragon”, Published in Engineering Infinity, edited by Jonathan Strahan, December 2010
Collections
“Words of Birth and Death” (2006, Bloc Press), as a limited edition chapbook.
“The Viper Blanket”
“Barley Child”
“Fisher of Men”
Hannu Rajaniemi: “Collected Fiction” (2015)
Novels
The Jean le Flambeur series
“The Quantum Thief” (2010); Third place, John W. Campbell Memorial Award for Best Science Fiction Novel
“The Fractal Prince” (2012)
“The Causal Angel” (2014)
