Despite the recent cancellation of one of Amazon Prime Video’s most ambitious series, the genre of fantasy continues to flourish, especially in France, thanks to a cadre of exceptionally talented writers. This weekend, it was announced that one of our most iconic authors has finally received the recognition he deserves. Here’s what you need to know!
Celebrating the Bâtard de Kosigan
Here at Bethel Clarion, we proudly highlight Francophone speculative literature. This is not merely national pride; many in our editorial team believe that numerous French science fiction and fantasy authors match the talent found in their English, American, Canadian, and Australian counterparts. We have often discussed French fantasy comics that have become staples of the genre and the novels we dream of seeing adapted for the silver screen.
The Imaginales festival, held annually in Épinal, is a significant event for fantasy enthusiasts. Each year, it awards the highly anticipated Imaginales Prize for the best Francophone fantasy novel. Since its inception in 2002, this prestigious award has recognized numerous prominent authors, including Jean-Philippe Jaworski (Gagner la Guerre and Même pas mort), Pierre Pevel (L’élixir d’oubli), Justine Niogret (Chien du heaume), Stefan Platteau (Manesh), and Léo Henry (Thecel). This year, the award goes to Fabien Cerutti for his work Kosigan: Un printemps de sang, set to be published in 2024 by Mnemos.
About “Un printemps de sang”
The fifth volume in the Bâtard de Kosigan series, Un printemps de sang stands out as it can be enjoyed independently of the previous four installments. As Cerutti explained in a recent interview with Elbakin, this book represents the first story he wrote about the Bâtard de Kosigan back in 2003 for a role-playing game; the four volumes published between 2014 and 2019 serve as its prequel. This new installment kicks off a fresh cycle of three or four novels, which will be more or less autonomous, according to the author’s insights.
Set two decades after the events of the initial cycle, Un printemps de sang follows Pierre Cordwain—an ex-mercenary captain, assassin, spy, and the bastard son of the Burgundian house of Kosigan—as he returns to the Duchy he once fled, amidst the chaos of the Hundred Years’ War raging between the French and English. However, his arrival comes at a perilous time! Concurrently, the polymorphic Italian adventurer, Dùnevia Illavaëlle, explores the county of Albret, where a dragon has resurfaced for the first time in years.
A historian and master storyteller, Fabien Cerutti delivers a tightly woven narrative with Un printemps de sang, a novel that comes highly recommended. We hope that the recognition from the Imaginales Prize broadens the readership for this essential series, appealing to all aficionados of quality fantasy literature.
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