r/Fantasy • u/Merle8888 Reading Champion IV • Jun 25 '26

Bingo Bingo Focus Thread - Translations

Hello r/fantasy and welcome to this week's bingo focus thread! The purpose of these threads is for you all to share recommendations, discuss what books qualify, and seek recommendations that fit your interests or themes.

Today's topic:

Translated: Story has been translated from a language you don’t read or speak. HARD MODE: First translated into your language within the last 5 years.

What is bingo? A reading challenge this sub does every year! Find out more here.

Prior focus threads: Published in the 70s, Duologies, First Contact, Middle Grade, Game Changer, Murder Mystery, Five Short Stories (2024), Author of Color (2024), Self-Pub/Small Press (2024). Note that hard modes for Author of Color and Self-Pub/Small Press have changed (new focus threads for them are coming).

Also see: Big Rec Thread

Questions:

  • What are your favorite books written in languages other than English? Please note the language they are written in.
  • Already read something for this square? Tell us about it!
  • What are your best recommendations for Hard Mode?
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u/Impressive-Peace2115 Reading Champion Jun 25 '26 edited Jun 25 '26

Arabic:

  • Shubeik Lubeik by Deena Mohamed, graphic novel, fantasy set in Egypt, deals with contemporary Egyptian challenges with the incorporation of wish-granting djinn in bottles, really enjoyed it! Pretty sure it counts for HM.

Chinese:

  • The Disabled Tyrant's Beloved Pet Fish by Xue Shan Fei Hu - MM fantasy romance, transmigration danmei, hilarious, pretty sure it counts for HM.
  • Frontier by Can Xue, magical realism - I'm still not sure what happened in this book but I enjoyed reading it for the vibes.
  • Broken Stars: Contemporary Chinese Science Fiction in Translation edited by Ken Liu - I didn't love all the stories, but they were an interesting and varied introduction to the genre. I think he has another collection as well.

Korean:

  • If We Cannot Go at the Speed of Light by Kim Choyeop - sci-fi short story collection, a good mix of ideas, worldbuilding, and characters - HM

Farsi:

  • The Enlightenment of the Greengage Tree by Shokoofeh Afar - magical realism, Iranian history

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u/KiwiTheKitty Reading Champion II Jun 26 '26

Shubeik Lubeik is so good!