And so IceCon, the great fantasy, sci-fi and horror convention in Reykjavík, has come to an end. The convention took place at the campus of the University of Iceland. Guests of honour were Kirsty Logan, John Scalzi and Emil Hjörvar Petersen.
Myself, I took part in a panel on trilogies, presenting the Shadow Bridge, or as it says in the programme: "Ingi Markússon presents his trilogy in conversation with Hildur Knútsdóttir and Giti Chandra on genre, authorial practices, and isolation." Many thanks to my fellow panelists, who were wonderful.
Other highlights included the establishment of the very first Icelandic fantasy, sci-fi and horror literary prize. Guests voted on the name and the Ghoul Cat (Urðarkötturinn) it was.* While the Ghoul Cat itself will be given for the first time on the next IceCon, in 2026, Emil Hjörvar Petersen was awarded an honorary prize, Hnitbjörg, for his pioneering work on Icelandic fantasy.
*A Ghoul cat "is ... in most respects like other cats … but larger and more vicious and formidable. As a youngling, it will bury itself into the ground, preferably in a cemetery, and stay there for an undetermined time. It will spare nothing once it has emerged and is almost impossible to conquer" (Reykjavík Grapevine).
Comments