Kalpa Imperial by Angélica Gorodischer

Kalpa Imperial by Angélica Gorodischer

A dazzling tapestry of myth, fantasy and folk tale from Argentina's great writer of speculative fiction, in a translation by Ursula K. Le Guin

In city squares and glittering palaces, a series of storytellers recount the many deaths and rebirths of the greatest Empire that never was: a history in which beggars rise to the Golden Throne, mad emperors raze cities and murderous empresses plot against their own children. Angélica Gorodischer’s dreamlike novel, masterfully translated by Ursula K. Le Guin, conjures a labyrinthine fictional universe of magical lore, broken dynasties and an Empire fated to rise, fall and rise again.

‘A landmark of Spanish-language imaginative fiction: a lyrical work that reimagines fantasy and myth from one of Argentina’s most brilliant writers’ Mariana Enriquez, author of Our Share of Night

Angélica Gorodischer (Author)
Although born in Buenos Aires, Angélica Gorodischer (1928-2022) was most closely associated with the city of Rosario, her home since childhood and also the home of her famous character, Trafalgar Medrano. She wrote over twenty books, including Trafalgar (1979) and the fantastical Kalpa Imperial (1983-4), which was translated into English by Ursula K. Le Guin. Her work has been compared to that of Borges and Calvino, and she won numerous literary prizes as well as an award for her contribution to women's rights. In 2011 she received a World Fantasy Award for lifetime achievement.

Ursula K. Le Guin (Translator)
Ursula K. Le Guin (1929–2018) was one of the most acclaimed speculative fiction writers of the twentieth century. Her works include The Left Hand of Darkness, The Dispossessed, and The Earthsea Quartet, all of which redefined the possibilities of science fiction and fantasy.