Debut Novel breaks new ground in Welsh

Stephen Price

An author’s debut novel released this month does something that’s never been done before in the Welsh language, claims its editor.

Enigma, published this month by Melin Bapur, is a science fiction novel that imagines the discovery of signs of intelligent extra-terrestrial life in the galaxy sometime in the near future, and depicts mankind’s response and an international collaboration to develop a mission to explore their source and solve the puzzle of the title.

Belonging to a genre sometimes referred to as “hard” science fiction, the book attempts to tell its story whilst depicting a realistic or at least plausible extrapolation of current technology.

Its author, Gerald Coles, is a retired doctor originally from Middlesex, but has called Wales home for over sixty years, and learned Welsh as an adult. This is his first novel, though he has authored a column on science and medicine for a number of years in the Welsh magazine Y Faner Newydd.

“We’re absolutely delighted to be able to publish Gerald’s book,” says Melin Bapur editor Adam Pearce.

“Science Fiction in Cymraeg has a distinguished history, but it’s largely of a piece: almost every example in Welsh is either dystopian, post-apocalyptic or both.

“There have been one or two depictions of aliens or space travel, more often than not in children’s fiction, but as far as I know this is the first novel for adults in Welsh to really properly fit that ‘hard sci-fi’ niche, and really take the ‘science’ part of science fiction seriously.”

The novel’s publication, claims Pearce, shows the value for Welsh of so-called ‘new speakers’ and the perspectives they bring.

“This is the kind of thing I love to read in English and I knew I wanted to publish it within the first few sentences. I think it’s no coincidence that the author is a new speaker – it gives you that different perspective. It shows how important it is to hear new voices in Cymraeg.

“Aliens, spaceships, signals from the stars – none of this is particularly Welsh, and why should it be? You can tell any kind of story in Welsh, just like any other language.”

Enigma is available now from www.melinbapur.cymru for £10.99+P&P.

Also new from Melin Bapur this month are a selection of Robert ap Gwilym Ddu’s poetry, Y Tir Pell a Cherddi Eraill (£7.99), and a new unabridged edition of Daniel Owen’s Profedigaethau Enoc Huws (£13.99).

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