A Journal of Speculative Works in Translation, Essays, & Marginalia
"From daydreams and reminiscences he is now wrenched by the creaking sound of a rickety bicycle, upon which the mailman delivers word of the newest events from the world, just as he has done every month for years now. By the 'world' is meant that mysterious, sepulchral other shore, for the grey-haired mailman delivers … the new issue of The Astral Courier, the news and gossip from That World."
— Jonáš Tokarský, Alchemical Child and Other Stories
Czech Classic
Part the First: A Specter of the Mind
The Fire Queen concluded her daily journey across the heavens' blanketing dome. In her enchanting splendor, she set lower and lower behind the mountains, which rose higher by the moment like gigantic figures from the ground, with their violet shadows touching the sky's scarlet blush. The emerald green of trees, underbrush, and grass transformed into dark hues as long shadows spread across the whole landscape where the sun's pink rays still frolicked in an evening carnival just a few moments before. A lovely evening descended on mysterious wings across the land. The blushing west paled, the spheres' magical music resounded in lovely harmony through all being[1], and a sweet ache trembled throughout nature's halcyon spirit. The silver Luna, along with countless stars that glittered with phosphorescent shine appeared upon the dark blue sky and its rays poured in every direction with a light misty veil that floated above the ground. A magnificent summer night began!
Sitting alone upon a not overly tall outcropping, near a sprawling city, I fell to observing these beauteous manifestations. My soul worked stridently to free itself from a narrow physical shell that bound its shining wings upon which it often liked to fly to new, thus far unknown realms and it longed and searched for mysterious things that were but a flash of precognition to human thought.
English(es) Originals
From the Editors
Dear Readers and Writers,
This journal, magazine, webpage, whatever you would like to call it, has been created in order to make available speculative literature from Central Europe to English speakers. While our main focus is on speculative work in translation, we are also interested in speculative fiction written by writers who do not reside in places where English is the dominant language of public discourse. We welcome many interpretations of the term 'speculative,' but tend not to be inclined to favor standard F/SF characters, settings, and situations, unless these are used in an innovative manner that could appeal to readers who do not like these genres very much.
When it comes to translation, we are interested … surprise us with something that has been languishing, that needs to be out there, where it can be read and where it can speak in a new language to a new audience.
The Czech Classic section above currently showcases the first part of the first chapter of Life on the Moon by Karel Pleskač. This is a work in progress on the translation side of things and will be added to as more is translated. The intent is to eventually make the whole of this short novel available. In installments, of course.
If you are a translator of either Czech, Slovak, or one of the other Central European languages and love speculative fiction, we would love to have you join the conversation.
About the Journal
We are a literary genre journal dedicated to the speculative, the strange, and scientifically improbable stories by writers working primarily in Czech or Slovak. While this is a narrow niche, we also recognize writers working in various forms of English. Such original English works can be found in the English(es) Originals section.
Thoughtful and well-informed essays about the subjects of speculative Czech and Slovak literature interest us as well.
Considering that we are asking writers, translators, and scholars for writing that deals with the edges of human experience and existence, as well as human perception, we absolutely need the work that you send to us to truly be thought of, written, translated, and experienced by human authors.
That is to say that while we find texts produced by all sorts of entities, including AI, to be interesting and fascinating in their own right, we do not accept AI generated materials or AI collaborations for inclusion in Astral Courier.
Submissions
We read submissions on a rolling basis and aim to respond within four to eight weeks. We welcome work in English for both translations of creative material and essays. All submissions are handled through Subfolio.
Simultaneous submissions accepted. Please notify us immediately upon acceptance elsewhere. Previously unpublished work only (new translations are that exact thing).
Please include a copy of the original Czech or Slovak text with your submission – this should be in PDF format.
Submit via Subfolio