Dušan Fabian
Encyclopedia
Dušan "Duke" Fabian is a Slovak
horror
and dark fantasy
writer. He has published his first novel Invocatio Elementalium in 2006, followed by a loose sequel Pestis Draconum in 2008, as well as several short stories. The awards he has received include Istron for best short story in 2006 and the 2006 European Science Fiction Society
Encouragement Award.
, Slovakia
, where he has lived ever since. After earning a doctor's degree in veterinary medicine
, he went on to work full time as a researcher at the Institute of Animal Physiology of the Slovak Academy of Sciences
.
magazine, including the notable stories "Tri čierne utorky" (Three Black Tuesdays, later also translated to Polish) and "V predvečer prvého mája" (On the Eve of May Day) for which he was awarded the Istron Award in 2006.
Fabian's debut novel, Invocatio Elementalium, was published in book form in Czech translation in 2006, while the original Slovak version was serialized in four parts in the Fantázia
magazine, issues 36-39 in July 2006 through April 2007. Polish translation was published by Dark Horse in two volumes as Rytual in 2007. The novel tells the story of a white-collar bank officer, David Ábel, who is forced to abandon his uneventful lifestyle after becoming accidental victim of a curse cast by a demon from the astral plane
.
The book earned mostly positive reviews, with comparisons being drawn between Fabian's work and the novels of Sergey Lukyanenko
and Neil Gaiman
; however, some critics found the novel unbalanced and lacking the more tight and dynamic structure of his shorter works.
Invocatio Elementalium has been shortlisted for the 2006 Czech and Slovak Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Award in the best Czech or Slovak book category in March 2007.
Fabian's latest work, Pestis Draconum, a loose sequel to Invocatio Elementalium featuring the protagonist of the former novel, was published in Czech translation on May 26, 2008 by Brokilon.
Slovaks
The Slovaks, Slovak people, or Slovakians are a West Slavic people that primarily inhabit Slovakia and speak the Slovak language, which is closely related to the Czech language.Most Slovaks today live within the borders of the independent Slovakia...
horror
Horror fiction
Horror fiction also Horror fantasy is a philosophy of literature, which is intended to, or has the capacity to frighten its readers, inducing feelings of horror and terror. It creates an eerie atmosphere. Horror can be either supernatural or non-supernatural...
and dark fantasy
Dark fantasy
Dark fantasy is a term used to describe a fantasy story with a pronounced horror element.-Overview:A strict definition for dark fantasy is difficult to pin down. Gertrude Barrows Bennett has been called "the woman who invented dark fantasy". Both Charles L...
writer. He has published his first novel Invocatio Elementalium in 2006, followed by a loose sequel Pestis Draconum in 2008, as well as several short stories. The awards he has received include Istron for best short story in 2006 and the 2006 European Science Fiction Society
European Science Fiction Society
The European Science Fiction Society is an international organisation of professionals and fans who are committed to promoting Science Fiction in Europe and European Science Fiction worldwide....
Encouragement Award.
Biography
Dušan Fabian was born on November 10, 1975 in KošiceKošice
Košice is a city in eastern Slovakia. It is situated on the river Hornád at the eastern reaches of the Slovak Ore Mountains, near the border with Hungary...
, Slovakia
Slovakia
The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south...
, where he has lived ever since. After earning a doctor's degree in veterinary medicine
Veterinary medicine
Veterinary Medicine is the branch of science that deals with the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of disease, disorder and injury in non-human animals...
, he went on to work full time as a researcher at the Institute of Animal Physiology of the Slovak Academy of Sciences
Slovak Academy of Sciences
The Slovak Academy of Sciences SAV is the main scientific and research institution in Slovakia fostering basic and strategic basic research...
.
Writing career
Fabian first rose to prominence in the Slovak fantasy and horror scene with the publication of his short story "Migréna" (Migraine) which brought Lovecraftian horror into the setting of rural eastern Slovakia. It was published in the Krutohlav 2001 anthology, a collection of year's best Slovak science fiction, fantasy and horror stories and received the 2001 Béla Award for best horror short story. Most of his subsequent shorter works were published in the FantáziaFantázia
Fantázia was a Slovak science fiction, fantasy and horror magazine. It was first published in July 1997. The magazine was started in Šaľa, Slovakia by Ivan Aľakša, who served as its editor until 2006, when he withdrew to concentrate on publishing duties and was replaced by Juraj Malíček.Fantázia...
magazine, including the notable stories "Tri čierne utorky" (Three Black Tuesdays, later also translated to Polish) and "V predvečer prvého mája" (On the Eve of May Day) for which he was awarded the Istron Award in 2006.
Fabian's debut novel, Invocatio Elementalium, was published in book form in Czech translation in 2006, while the original Slovak version was serialized in four parts in the Fantázia
Fantázia
Fantázia was a Slovak science fiction, fantasy and horror magazine. It was first published in July 1997. The magazine was started in Šaľa, Slovakia by Ivan Aľakša, who served as its editor until 2006, when he withdrew to concentrate on publishing duties and was replaced by Juraj Malíček.Fantázia...
magazine, issues 36-39 in July 2006 through April 2007. Polish translation was published by Dark Horse in two volumes as Rytual in 2007. The novel tells the story of a white-collar bank officer, David Ábel, who is forced to abandon his uneventful lifestyle after becoming accidental victim of a curse cast by a demon from the astral plane
Astral plane
The astral plane, also called the astral world, is a plane of existence postulated by classical , medieval, oriental and esoteric philosophies and mystery religions...
.
The book earned mostly positive reviews, with comparisons being drawn between Fabian's work and the novels of Sergey Lukyanenko
Sergey Lukyanenko
Sergei Vasilievich Lukyanenko is a science fiction and fantasy author, writing in Russian, and is arguably the most popular contemporary Russian sci-fi writer...
and Neil Gaiman
Neil Gaiman
Neil Richard Gaiman born 10 November 1960)is an English author of short fiction, novels, comic books, graphic novels, audio theatre and films. His notable works include the comic book series The Sandman and novels Stardust, American Gods, Coraline, and The Graveyard Book...
; however, some critics found the novel unbalanced and lacking the more tight and dynamic structure of his shorter works.
Invocatio Elementalium has been shortlisted for the 2006 Czech and Slovak Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Award in the best Czech or Slovak book category in March 2007.
Fabian's latest work, Pestis Draconum, a loose sequel to Invocatio Elementalium featuring the protagonist of the former novel, was published in Czech translation on May 26, 2008 by Brokilon.
Novels
- Invocatio Elementalium Wales, 2006.
- Pestis Draconum Brokilon, 2008.
- Živého mě nedostanou! / They won't get me alive! Brokilon, 2010.
External links
- Dušan Fabian's entry at Who is Who in Czech and Slovak Science Fiction (in Czech)
- An interview with Dušan Fabian at fantasyplanet.cz, part 1 (in Czech)
- An interview with Dušan Fabian at fantasyplanet.cz, part 2 (in Czech)
- An interview with Dušan Fabian at mfantasy.cz (in Slovak)
- Personal webpage (in Slovak)