There are countless trade routes crisscrossing the Dreamlands, but for a variety of reasons the major routes are by sea. They are anchored in four major trading ports: Dylath-Leen, Celephaïs, Pungar-Vees, and Rinar. Other key cities on trade routes include Shiroora Shan (controls the Night Ocean, and is the primary gateway between the central Dreamlands […]
The borderline between magic and medicine is quite unclear when both pharmaceuticals and spells can cure. Obviously, magic works in the Dreamlands, but given the fluid nature of reality in the Dreamlands it does not work the same way that it does in Wakeworld. Scholars define three types of magic, namely Magiae Naturalis, Magiae Nativus […]
I translated this story for Kaiki Volume 1: Tales of Old Edo, which was published by Kurodahan Press. The story was originally written in 1928, and since it’s now in the public domain, I have decided to release my own English translation to the public domain as well. The Face in the Hearth 竈の中の顔 (Kamado […]
Vampiric: Tales of Blood and Roses from Japan Japan has always had its own vampire tradition, and has eagerly naturalized Western vampires and vampire literature to produce exotic new hybrids and species of horror, of terror, and of sensual, exquisite beauty. Here are a few of their masterpieces. The Japanese word for vampire is kyūketsuki, […]
“I’m sorry and I fully realize that you have traveled for many weeks to reach Celephaïs, but the King is not receiving any visitors at this time.” Most people would have wilted under the furious visage of King Babacar of Thalarion, but Chamberlain Mikhail of Celephaïs remained unmoved. In fact, in addition to responding to […]
Bored with the intellectual black holes of commercial translation, I decided to apply the knowledge and capabilities of Intercom to publishing Japanese literature in English. I talked to two close friends, Chris Ryall and Stephen Carter, and they were both very interested. We decided to go ahead with it. Kurodahan Press was established as an […]
The Book Zoran ŽIVKOVIĆ translated by Aleksandar B. Nedeljković The Book is not quite a novel, although almost half of it takes the form of a narrative, neither is it an essay, although quite a lot of what is said in it adopts that style. It is actually closest to that rare type or “para-genre” […]
The Fourth Circle Zoran ŽIVKOVIĆ translated by Mary Popović What could a computer wizard self-exiled in an abandoned Buddhist temple possibly have in common with the humble servant of a medieval fresco painter? What is the link between the enigmatic mission of a giant radio-telescope and a tribe of spherical beings who dwell in a […]
The Four Deaths and One Resurrection of Fyodor Mikhailovich Zoran ŽIVKOVIĆ translated by Randall A. Major A bizarre encounter between doubles in a foggy park. The mysterious sudden death of one of the passengers in a train’s restaurant car. The hilarious yet tragic consultation of a psychiatrist with her highly unusual patient. A conversation in […]
The White Room Zoran ŽIVKOVIĆ translated by Randall A. Major Ivana had gone missing… With her disappearance there begins a fantastical adventure for Professor Zoran Živković, author and teacher of creative writing. Assisted by Senior Inspector Sanja Mrvaljević of the Belgrade police, military counterintelligence, the National Security Agency and ultimately Interpol, the search for Ivana […]