Time travel and dystopian futures, escapes and extinctions, mundane objects that plunge humans into disorienting experiences—these are some of the elements that characterize the three finalist books of the second edition of the Mondofuturo Literary Prize, a competition that honors the best original, untranslated science fiction book published in Italy in 2024. Theinitiative, promoted and organized bythe national research organization Area Science Park and La Cappella Underground, was launched with the aim of sparkingpublic interest in research, scientific culture, and literature, using science fiction as a catalyst forattention.
This year’s three finalist works—Anticaja Canaglia by Cobol Pongide and Emiglino Cicala (Edizioni Progetto Cutlura), Cronache dalla deriva by Carlo Roselli (Zona 42), and Nero. Il complotto dei complotti by Luca Giommoni (effequ) – explore subjects and themes related to the world of scientific research, while maintaining a brilliant creative vision: from time travel to’the use of ’artificial intelligence, from teleportation to aliens to laser guns.
“It’s only the second edition, but the leap in quality and participation compared to the first is truly remarkable: many novels, great vision, and imaginative worlds that weave together scientific ideas and writing skills in’the creation of often surprising narratives,” stated Nicoletta Vallorani, Chair of the Expert Jury, who then added “ As Le Guin said, writers invent stories, which are not facts: that’s why they’re called fiction. But these stories reveal a great deal about the real world, and that’s what makes them valuable.”
Chosen from among 19 entries in the competition, the finalists were selected by a jury of prominent figures from the worlds of literature, research, and journalism, including Nicoletta Vallorani (jury chair), Loredana Lipperini, Alberto Garlini, Giulia Martino, Andrea Viscusi, Angela Bernardoni, Elisabetta Di Minico, Dr. Pira, and the FantaTrieste Writers’ Collective. The three finalist books are now in the hands of a jury of scientists composed of approximately 50 researchers and research professionals working at Area Science Park, supported by an honorary scientific jury comprising: Caterina Petrillo, Giovanna Fragneto, Fabio Pagan, Fabrizio Brancoli, Giovanni Covone, and Stefano Liberati.
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