8 Genre Books in Translation, from Korean Fantasy to Icelandic Horror

I’m Waiting for You is a sci-fi short story collection that follows two interconnected storylines. The first is about a couple who are trying to coordinate their own space missions so that they can arrive on Earth at the same time and finally get married. The other storyline follows these godlike creatures—who are responsible for life on Earth—as they take a look at humanity and ponder philosophical questions about existence and free will. Kim Bo-Young is a famous SFF author from South Korea, and I’m so glad her work is being translated, because I wouldn’t want to miss any of these stories! —Rey Rowland

Translated from Japanese by Jesse Kirkwood, Yasuhiko Nishizawa’s novel is a murder mystery with a fun twist. Hisataro’s life has what he’s come to call “traps”: without any rhyme or reason, a day will randomly repeat itself seven times. Every one of the seven days will be the same, and no one else can change that, except him. Now his family has been reunited, and they discover that his grandfather keeps changing his will and who inherits the family business. This news happens right before Hisataro’s grandfather is murdered, which coincides with the start of the same day repeating itself. —Jamie Canaves

In 1979, Tokyo, outcast Yoriko Shindo is kidnapped by the Naiki-kai, a branch of the yakuza. After she fights off multiple men in an escape attempt, she is allowed to live under the condition that she becomes the bodyguard and personal driver for the gang boss’ daughter, Shoko Naiki. Recognizing that both she and Shoko are surrounded by men with a passion for violence, Yoriko becomes determined to use any means necessary to fight her way out of captivity and to a better life for both of them. —Katie Moench

Translated from Icelandic by Victoria Cribb, Eva Bjorg Ægisdóttir’s novel follows Marsi and the missing case of her sister from a decade before. In the late ‘60s, Marsi was set to meet a pen pal who she’d been writing to while pretending to be her older sister, Stína. But instead of Marsi meeting him, her sister Stína disappeared from the meeting spot, leaving blood behind. Now, a decade later, there’s still no news on her sister, but Marsi receives a letter from her old pen pal… —Jamie Canaves

This novel weaves speculative elements with some good old-fashioned horror. Frankenstein in Baghdad is the story of a scavenger named Hadi. He collects human body parts and stitches them together to create a single corpse. One day, this corpse goes missing. Coincidentally, a horrendous-looking murderer is plaguing the streets. Oh, and reports say that bullets barely tickle him. It won’t be long before Hadi realizes he created a monster — and only he will be able to stop it. —Rey Rowland

Iðunn suffers from constant fatigue, but doctors can find no cause with medical tests and thus dismiss her concerns. Her family and friends have become fonts of helpful but ultimately useless advice—except the person who suggests she buy a step-counting watch. And the watch reveals that during the night while she was supposedly asleep, she took 40,000 steps. Soon, she begins waking up with injuries, each more concerning than the last, and no one will believe her. —Alex Acks