Good news for Finnish translated fiction

Many people ask me for recommendations on Finnish translated fiction. Since the explosion of the Nordic Noir genre, readers are particularly interested in similar books to Stieg Larsson's Millennium trilogy, or the Norwegian Detective Harry Hole series by Jo Nesbo, or even something like the Swedish Wallander series.

Naturally there are several books I could recommend, but the problem is that many of my favourite authors are not translated into English. Alternatively, the translations take so long that the novels seem out of date when they're published into English. In the crime genre, in particular, the police procedures etc. change very quickly, making the Finnish novels seem out of touch and old-fashioned when they finally come out in English.

Traditionally Finnish fiction is first translated into Swedish, and some of the other Nordic and Baltic languages, and then into German. English-language versions have to wait for years, or are never published. This has always seemed perverse to me; after all the English-language market is huge, and with the surge in interest in Nordic fiction, to me it would seem natural that this market would be a prime focus for Finnish publishers.

But, now it seems there's good news. This is from the press release of the Finnish Literature Exchange, FILI. FILI has the job of promoting Finnish literature around the world.

FILI focuses on exporting literature to the English-speaking world

A giant leap for translation rights sales figures took place during the preparations for the Frankfurt Book Fair, at which Finland was the Guest of Honour. The German markets have functioned as a gateway to other language areas, and interest is a particular challenge in the English-language markets, on which FILI is focusing its next three-year major project. 

In the United States and the United Kingdom we are focusing on local publishers, the training of new translators, and the promotion of published translations in conjunction with our local partners.

FILI continues to function as a mediator of professional contacts: we take part in trade fairs and invite foreign publishers to Finland to acquaint them with Finnish literature. We also act as a home base for Finnish literary translators, and one of our more important tasks is to find more translators in the various language areas.

Let's hope this new push to increase exports of Finnish literature to the English-speaking world will increase titles of my favourite authors from Finland in the future.

Moomins on the Riviera to be on general release in the UK

Vertigo takes Moomins for UK

Indie Sales handles rights to Moomins On The Riviera; UK release planned for May 2015.

Vertigo has acquired UK rights to Moomins On The Riviera from Paris-based sales company Indie Sales.

The hand-drawn 2D animation feature, directed by Xavier Picard, recently played at the BFI London Film Festival and is already a huge box-office hit in its local Finland.

The film is adapted from Tove Jansson’s original comic strips, and tells the story of the Moomin clan on a journey to the glamorous Riviera where they meet a world of new people including would-be artists, film stars and playboys.

The creative team behind the movie includes Sophia Jansson, Tove’s niece, along with Finnish producer Hanna Hemila (Le Havre).

The voice cast for the English-language version of the film includes Russell Tovey as Moomin and Nathaniel Parker as Moominpappa.

Vertigo’s Rupert Preston and Nicolas Eschbach of Indie Sales negotiated the deal.

Eschbach said, “Moomins on the Rivera are in good hands. Vertigo are the kings of releasing family films in the UK!”.

Preston said, “We are thrilled to be bringing the Moomins to UK audiences – they have a huge fan base here and both adults and children will love the movie.”

Vertigo’s upcoming slate also includes Susanne Bier’s A Second Chance, Tom Green’s Monsters: Dark Continent,and Jo Nesbo’s Doctor Proctor’s Fart Powder.  

Article first published on Screen Daily, by Wendy Mitchell

Cockroaches by Harry Hole - Book Review

It’s a real shame that the Jo Nesbo novels, featuring Harry Hole, the detective with a complicated personal life, have not been translated into English in a chronological order. Perhaps Nesbo's British publishers decided to debut with The Devil's Star, fifth in this series, because the early books are not set in Norway. The grim Nordic backdrop is, after all, one of the main attractions of Nordic crime fiction. As Boris Johnson once commented on an article about the popularity of TV's Wallander, 'Blood looks brighter on snow'. But since another main feature of Jo Nesbo's novels is the development of Harry Hole's (flawed) character, it's rather frustrating to find out why his life is in such a mess back to front, so to speak.

It is indeed strange to read a Norwegian crime thriller which is not set in a cold, snowy Nordic landscape, but after complaining about this fact in my review of The Bat, the first Harry Hole thriller set in Australia, I'm now over it and actually really enjoyed this second book in the Harry Hole series. 

It was also good to read a book which referred to the events which took place in the previous novel. I also felt that Nesbo's writing was a lot more confident in Cockroaches. It was as if the author too enjoyed returning to his old friend, Harry, who at the beginning of the book is spending more time in his favourite Olso bar than he's solving crime. He's back on the booze, and on a personal downward spiral.

But when a Norwegian Ambassador dies under suspicious circumstances in Bangkok, guess which local (now) famous Norwegian detective is put on the case? Off Harry flies to Thailand where he doggedly investigates not only his own Expat countrymen's secretive lives, but also the local mafia. Both groups dislike his attentions and get him into mortal danger, and in trouble with his employers, the police chiefs in Norway.

As usual with Harry Hole novels, Nesbo sets up the story so that the reader is lead to believe one character after another is the perpetrator. Hence the denounment of the story is not exactly a surprise since the author has literally run out of people to point the finger at. This is a very Agatha Christie way of plotting a novel, which I enjoy, so I'm not really complaining. 

I liked Cockroaches and cannot wait to read the next Nesbo thriller, The Son, (not featuring Harry Hole) which is going to be out in April.

Headhunters DVD

I enjoyed the book Headhunters by Jo Nesbo much more than this Norwegian author's other titles, which include the debauched (and a little tiresome) detective, Harry Hole. Headhunters is a more grounded story set in 'normal' Oslo business world rather than in the murky Norwegian criminal underworld. (Bearing in mind we are talking Nordic crime fiction which itself seldom has much to do with reality).

So as a fan of the book, and having missed the film at cinema, I was looking forward to the release of the Headhunters DVD. I was also pleasantly surprised when I discovered it was a Norwegian production, rather than a Hollywood one, and one which stays fairly true to the book in its plot and characters.

The vertically challenged Roger Brown is a high-flying Oslo headhunter, with a beautiful (and expensive) wife and a dangerous art habit. Just as he's beginning to run out of money he runs into a charming, tall businessman who he thinks will solve all his overspending problems.

The film, just as the book is fast, furious, funny and completely unbelievable. But as Sunday night viewing, or as a hangover flick when you really don't want to tax your brain too much, it's perfect.



Axel Hennie as Roger Brown is excellent, his portrayal of the ambitious, desperate, mad, and at times hapless lead, is spot on. Both Nikolaj Coster-Waldau and Synnove Macody Lund are equally good as the two 'lucky and beautiful' people. I also particularly like the two country policemen, who being used to policing drunken locals are more than out of their depth with the prevailing headhunt.

Have you seen this Nordic crime flick and if so did you enjoy it?