Programme

Note that this programme item starts at 11:00!

Presentation on the Archipelacon 2 Academic Track: the Fafnir Anniversary Symposium. You can read the abstract on the Archipelacon 2 website.

Note that this programme item starts at 11:00!

Presentation on the Archipelacon 2 Academic Track: the Fafnir Anniversary Symposium. You can read the abstract on the Archipelacon 2 website.

Welcome to Åland and especially to Archipelacon 2! Join our Guests of Honour and our chair Karo Leikomaa in getting the convention started!

Presentation on the Archipelacon 2 Academic Track: the Fafnir Anniversary Symposium. You can read the abstract on the Archipelacon 2 website.

Archipelacon 2 Guest of Honour Ann VanderMeer is interviewed.

So here we are at a small demilitarised autonomous region in the middle of the Baltic Sea. It has 30 000 inhabitants, two local newspapers, 16 municipalities and quite a lot of local quirks. But how did we get here?

A brief and fairly chronological presentation on the history of the isles. Includes life in the archipelago, a royal hunting castle, a fleet of windjammers and MORE.

The Åland islands hold an unusual status: mostly Swedish Speaking population, but in a self governing part of Finland. Richard Stephenson discusses unusual borders, such as split towns, an Island that changes nationality and the country that does not exist.

Recent physics has discovered multiple potential catastrophic ends of the universe. This accessible, math free talk explains the potential causes of these catastrophes and what might be done to survive them.

Archipelacon 2 Guest of Honour Jeff VanderMeer reads excerpts from his work.

Cookbooks focusing on movies, games, tv-shows, and even books are all the rage! Come listen to a dialogue between two fans, who have cooked from quite a few of them. Hear what works and what doesn’t!

Non-stop sarjakuvapaja, jossa tehdään omia sarjakuvia fantasia-ja scifi kuvituksista inspiroituen. Sopii sekä isoille että pienille piirtämisestä, sarjakuvasta ja spefistä kiinnostuneille.

Non-stop comics workshop, where we make comics inspired by sci-fi and fantasy illustrations. Open for all people big or small, who are interested in drawing, comics, and speculative fiction.

Presentation on the Archipelacon 2 Academic Track: the Fafnir Anniversary Symposium. You can read the abstract on the Archipelacon 2 website.

How great could the future of intelligent life be? Questions about what life and intelligence can achieve in the universe is something science and science fiction have been interested in for a long time. They have often overlapped. Olaf Stapledon’s cosmic visions were strongly informed by discussions with the biologist JBS Haldane who was heavily inspired by H.G. Wells, and the physicist Freeman Dyson acknowledged Stapledon’s ideas in his own work on what is now called Dyson spheres. This talk will describe some of the ways visions of the far future and megascale engineering have danced between fiction and science, and current thinking about just how big our future could be.

Anthology as a word comes from Greek, meaning a collection of blossoms. How do the editors pick the perfect flowers, exclude weeds and help the tiny buds to grow to full bloom?

Generative language models have entered the mainstream, for better or worse. They’re often called just fancy autocomplete systems, but what does ‘autocomplete’ even mean anymore? What do large language models (LLMs) actually do within their inscrutable matrices, as far as we can make educated guesses? What does the future of the human touch look like? And ultimately, is there something to be learned from LLMs about thinking and the human condition?

Guerrilla Games released the first Horizon Zero Dawn game on PlayStation 4 in 2017 introducing the world to Aloy and the post-apocalyptic world of the 31st Century reclaimed by nature and populated by large robotic creatures.

Since then the series has expanded with sequels, VR spin-off game, comic books and board games, with even a film adaptation currently in the works. Our panelists talk about their experiences with the series and what makes them fans.

The ESFS meeting is open to everyone, but only delegates can vote.

Presentation on the Archipelacon 2 Academic Track: the Fafnir Anniversary Symposium. You can read the abstract on the Archipelacon 2 website.

Fanfic, podfic, fanvids, cosplay, fanart and filks. Who decides where the line is drawn between what is transformative or derivative? It’s not only a thorny legal issue, but a divisive one within fandom communities themselves. Join a group of fans and creators as we explore whether fanworks need to prove themselves to be accepted as transformative.

Come to Drink Coffee or tea with and sew with fellow fans and talk about Sci-Fi and Fantasy.

One of Star Trek’s most defining moments emerged from the chaos behind the scenes. Using methods from comparative mythology, the origins of The Wrath of Khan’s “Kobayashi Maru” scenario are reconstructed and the impact of the dramatic changes in its history are discussed.

Cheryl Morgan interviews our Guests of Honour Emmi Itäranta, Jeff VanderMeer and Mats Strandberg about their writing.

The theremin is the oldest mass produced electronic instrument and paved the way how science fiction sounded in its early days. People are still quite unfamiliar where it was really used in the end as there is a lot of confusion about it. There will be a lecture, trivia, performance and a possibility to try theremin yourself.

Syksyllä 2025 ilmestyy Leo ja Sofia Tolstajan perheestä kertova maagisrealistinen romaani Nukkuva kreivitär (Warelia), joka on Jari Hiltusen Ahmatova-romaanin (2023) sisarteos. Esitelmä kertoo Nukkuvan kreivittären sisällöstä ja synnystä.

On Thursday there will be a very special edition of the (in)famous Geek Culture Quiz run by our lovely Mikko Seppänen and Elisa Wiik! This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to find out what the buzz is all about and test your knowledge of geek culture trivia in the most overproduced Archipelacon quiz! And if you can’t make it to the restaurant in person, it is always possible to attend remotely!

The Geek Culture Quiz will begin at 19.30, the restaurant is open from lunchtime until late in the evening, the kitchen is open until at least 21.00. The restaurant offers tapas-style food, which we can highly recommend!

This presentation is about the transformation that has occurred in Disney’s Duckverse’s family relations between the 1940s and the 2020s in the context fantasy genre studies. Originally, the family relations in Disney comics and animations were leaning towards fables and fairytales: the nuclear family was rarely seen, typically the mother was absent, and the children lived with their father or father figure. In the works by Carl Barks and Don Rosa, the characters grew more complex and deeper family relations were established. But it was the new DuckTales animation that made the big leap: Huey, Dewey and Louie each have different personalities, and the story of their mother, Della Duck, was introduced.

Speed Friending is an event where you can participate and meet new fellow fandom friends. During the event we give you nerdish topics to discuss with your partner for a given time. When the time ends, you will switch to a new seat and discuss a new question with your new partner. The idea of this event is to meet and greet new people and have short geeky conversations with them. (The programme questions will be in English.)

The ESFS meeting is open to everyone, but only delegates can vote.

Everyone had heard of the Lady of the Lake, and if asked, would probably locate her at Glastonbury. However, many lakes and rivers in Wales, and at least one in Cornwall, are inhabited by mysterious maidens, the Gwragedd Annwn (the Wives of the Underworld). Many of them own herds of cows rather than magic swords.

Presentation on the Archipelacon 2 Academic Track: the Fafnir Anniversary Symposium.

What is it like to translate and work with Ursula K Le Guin’s texts and life? What does it mean to us who work with them? Translators and long time fans of Le Guin, Lena Jonsson (SWE) Titia Schuurman (FIN), and Johanna Vainikainen (FIN) share their secrets and experiences in translating one of the greatest SFF masters ever. Translator & fan Kaisa Ranta leads the discussion.

Unlike writers of previous centuries, writers today are often forced into boxes by their publishers. What is it like to write more than one kind of thing? Is specialization (as Heinlein said) really for insects or is it a necessary part of the current culture?

Romantasy as a genre has exploded in popularity over the last five years. But fantasy books with prominent love stories have existed for much longer. Is this simply a rebranding of the existing subgenre of romantic fantasy, or is something new emerging? In this presentation, we’ll explore what defines romantasy and whether it deserves to be called a genre of its own.

What is it like to be a writer during a full-scale invasion? What impact does it have on the book market, readers’ preferences, and daily life? Does translation make us visible, and how can it help fight stereotypes? How does urban fantasy contribute to rediscovering and decolonizing history? Shaping the narrative in turbulent times – and more about Ukrainian context.

Millainen on sinun viehättävin sankarisi? Entä hirvittävin hirviösi? Tässä pajassa kirjoitetaan ja/tai piirretään/maalataan. Pajaan voi tulla ja lähteä pois silloin, kun haluaa pajan aukioloaikana. Tarjolla on nopeasti tehtäviä kirjoitusharjoituksia, piirustus- ja askarteluvälineitä ja kevyesti ohjattua toimintaa kaikentasoisille tekijöille. Osallistu myös kollektiivisen banderollin tekemiseen. Ei ikärajaa, mutta lapset/nuoret ruuhkan sattuessa etusijalla. Vetäjä, kirjailija Anne Leinonen, ohjaa kirjoitusharjoitukset ja taidetehtävät.

Presentation on the Archipelacon 2 Academic Track: the Fafnir Anniversary Symposium. You can read the abstract on the Archipelacon 2 website.

The Farmhouse Cards OY invites you to come and try the popular Trading Card Game Flesh & Blood. Get an introduction to the game and the new Set High Seas.

Farmhouse Cards runs a shop in Mariehamn where players can buy the latest TCG & Board Games.

Welcome to meet us at Archipelacon.

Praedor comics by Petri Hiltunen have inspired a long-running TTRPG franchise, multiple novels and short story anthologies, music, crafts, art, larps and a loyal following of fans. How did a series of fantasy comics beget the largest Finnish fantasy franchise? Who holds it all together when no money-grubbing corporates are involved? And why won’t the Moomin claim the title?

Artist Petri Hiltunen and author Ville Vuorela are mercilessly grilled for answers!

Where and how did Bulgarian fiction originate and how did the illustrators imperceptibly enter the field? Let’s take a look back in time at this very interesting genre, which we rarely talk about, but it has somehow often popped up in our libraries, ever since 1933. Who are the authors who are being introduced to fiction today? Who are their artists? How do they fit into the “Electronic Almanac of Bulgarian Illustration”, a free online newsletter aiming to present the rich trove of Bulgarian illustration to the European Union.

In her presentation, poet Emma Kanckos (“De jordbundna”, Vendels förlag, 2024), discusses worldbuilding in poetry with examples and readings from her own poetry (in Swedish). The presentation is in both Swedish and English.

Speculative fiction has long been a form of escapism for many readers wanting to live vicariously as elves, aliens, or cyborgs. It’s no wonder then that considering the grim times we’re living in, readers are looking to escape to more hopeful realms where they might find solace and be reminded of the good in people (or orcs or murderbots). The rise of hopeful speculative fiction has evolved beyond the original ‘hopepunk’, filtering kindness, acceptance, and a more positive outlook on the future of humanity into multiple spec fic genres. Join us for a discussion on all things cozy and hopeful, why readers want more, and how writers might include more hope in their stories regardless of genre.

Guest of Honour Emmi Itäranta is interviewed by Marianna “Kisu” Leikomaa. After the interview, Emmi Itäranta will be signing books in the Main Hall.

Science fiction is full of aliens, but how come they almost always have only two genders and are heterosexual? The natural world on Earth is full of creatures that do sex and gender differently from humans and can be used as inspiration for alien races.

We call them robotic, self driving or autonomous cars. What are they? This talk will guide you to the definitions, give you a grasp of the present situation and the future. You will also get explanations to the challenges with the technology, the society and having humans in autonomous cars.

Presentation on the Archipelacon 2 Academic Track: the Fafnir Anniversary Symposium. You can read the abstract on the Archipelacon 2 website.

How complicated is it to write a book with a co-author? Or two co-authors? Or in a group of authors? What are the tips, tricks and challenges?

The self-appointed experts on all matters Hugo discuss this year’s Hugo finalists. This panel focuses on the literature categories (novel, novella, short story etc.).

What kind of methods can be used in studying comics and how to do that in Finland? Is academia still undervaluing comics as an area or has that improved? What is special in comics compared to other topics? Our panelists also talk about their own experiences in studying, teaching and even drawing comics!

Minne on kadonnut Alinea-tädin leipoma omenapiirakka? Aranwythin heimon Kotkan klaanin lapset pestataan etsimään sitä. Tarjolla on sadunomaista peliä niin lapsille kuin aikuisille.

Sääntöinä toimii suomenkielinen HeroQuest-roolipeli yksinkertaistetussa muodossa, mutta sääntöjä ei tarvitse osata etukäteen. Pelissä on valmiit pelihahmot 2–5 pelaajalle. Pelissä pitää osata lukea ja kirjoittaa jonkin verran tai olla joku avustamassa niissä.

Maps often hold more than just geographical information. Sure, today most maps we use are accurate representations of the physical features found in any given area. But if we look at maps from a time (or a world) without satellite images, what kind of stories do the cartographers want to tell us?

Presentation on the Archipelacon 2 Academic Track: the Fafnir Anniversary Symposium. You can read the abstract on the Archipelacon 2 website.

IndieSpec-project will bring forth Finnish, Portuguese and Ukrainian speculative fiction in 2025-2027. What other ways are there to strengthen the collaboration between European indie publishers? How to support translation projects from smaller languages? Our panel of experts will discuss.

Martin Rundkvist läser högt på svenska ur sin nyutkomna översättning av Lord Dunsanys noveller. Lorden debuterade 1905 som banbrytande fantasyförfattare och skrev sedan under sin 50-åriga karriär också prosalyrik, humor i herrklubbsmiljö och deckare. I uppläsningen ingår en novell som aldrig publicerats förr, ens på engelska.

How might people settle the asteroid belt in 2025? They will need energy, raw materials, agriculture, probably spin gravity, robots, printers, databases, strong magnetic fields (for radiation protection), and so on. They may also need defenses and some form of local government–the response time from elsewhere could be months. We’ll look at the state of some relevant technologies now, and where they might be in the early 22nd century, and the kind of lifestyle and culture this would enable.

Often taunted as the father of heroic-fantasy, William Morris was in his time praised by Oscar Wilde, read by Tolkien, and achieved lasting fame thanks to a body of work that encompassed everything from Arthurian poetry, translation of Icelandic sagas, and dozens of proto-fantasy novels.

While much of Morris’ work deserves attention, the present talk will focus on his Norse-inspired works, especially the highly influential The House of the Wolfings and The Roots of the Mountains.

We will look at how Morris discovered Saga literature, how it shaped his writings, and how his own work went to inspire future generations of fantasy writers, in particular J.R.R. Tolkien.

Strange worlds and environments can offer new wonders and insight to readers. But they can also be a dangerous place for the protagonists or be a harsh reminder of the threats of climate change. The panelists, including our Guests of Honour Emmi Itäranta and Jeff VanderMeer, discuss how environment and ecology can and has been used in fiction.

In the seemingly ever expanding world of streaming services it is hard to know what is worth your precious time. Fear not! Our self-appointed experts are back again to give you their take on the best and worst genre series from the 2024–2025 television season.

There are a lot of interesting projects going on in the European translated speculative fiction scene. Why do we want contemporary classics such as City of Saints & Madmen in translation and not just read them in English? How does the AI factor in the work of the translators and publishers?

A place where you can take a breather, sip a cup of tea, and continue knitting, crocheting or something else. No speeches, no special discussions. Come as you are and linger for a while without pressure to perform.

How does one go about creating a fabulous filk? Join our panelists as they discuss their experiences with every aspect of filking across many different musical genres, including writing, recording, performing, and sharing them within fandom communities. Will there be some musical interludes? Naturally. Will you be required to shake just the slightest of booties to the beat? You very well might. What are you waiting for? Get in here!

This presentation of recent research by Tapio Salminen and Martin Rundkvist focuses on two manors, Kokemäki in Finland and Duvnäs in Sweden, through early sixteenth-century written sources and material remains. Both were, one after the other, in the custody of Olof Svart (obiit 1547), who was one of Gustav I’s earliest administrators. Through a combination of historical and archaeological methods, including map studies, a successful career in the service of Sweden’s first Early Modern king is traced and placed in the cultural landscape.

Over the last few years the development of quantum computing has accelerated dramatically, evolving from testing its theoretical underpinnings with a few noisy qubits to a fleet of processors with enough capacity to start applying them to actual problems.

This presentation will include a brief introduction to the basics of quantum computing, how it differs from classical computing and why it shows such great promise, its progress beyond theory to actual utility, and how recent innovations may enable the era of quantum advantage with fully fault tolerant, error correcting quantum processors by the end of the decade.

Note: the presentation is designed for a general audience and will not require any deep understanding of quantum mechanics or mathematics!

Come and read aloud your favourite passage from Tolkien’s works with us. You can read in English, Finnish or Swedish, discussion of the passages will be in English. We will translate if necessary. You are also welcome to just listen to others, if you don’t feel like participating in other ways.

At the beginning of the program, the Finnish Tolkien Society Kontu will award its new honorary member Marianna Leikomaa (two new honorary members were elected at the beginning of 2025).

Sing on your own, sing along, or just listen! We’ll provide at least some lyrics for everyone, but feel free to bring your own too. Any and all voices and instruments welcome!

Is the destruction of the world as we know it a good thing, or a bad thing? Drawing from real world history and a palette of genre works we will investigate the psychological and the philosophical drives that power post-ap in all its myriad forms. We will revisit fan favorites and try to get a deeper glimpse at the questions the genre tries to answer. And maybe feel a little bit better about the slow-motion apocalypse around us.

Come and have a blast with a quintessential modern Finnish folk dance – the Finnish equivalent of a ceilidh! Huutokatrilli is similar to country/barn dancing, and you will learn some simple quadrille moves. There is no set choreography, since the caller will improvise tonight’s dance based on these moves. You don’t need previous dance experience or a partner of your own. The caller will teach everything you need to know.

Archipelacon 2 Guest of Honour Mats Strandberg and producer Alexander Rönnberg talk about the upcoming six part television series adaptation of Blood Cruise (Färjan).

In this paper, I will talk about queerness, queer theory, and the application of queer imaginings in Africanfuturism, inspired by African history. This chapter is a brief exploration of how to resurrect the ancient and traditional queerness present across the African continent, eroded and erased by Western hegemony, in speculative fiction that moves toward an African-inspired post-gender society.

I’ll specifically reference my own work and the work by other queer Africans.

What is creative writing and how to do it? Our panelists give their best tips and tricks, talk about pitfalls to avoid and enthuse about what they love about creative writing.

Mag Lev (Magnetic Levitation) might have been the future of public transport. Richard Stephenson discusses what happened, and why it wasn’t.

Join the (gender neutral) coven of witches as we attempt to open the door to The Witches’ Road in three part harmony. A discord server will mysteriously appear (through a signup link), and there you can learn your part before the con. We will also meet and practice during the con, newcomers welcome, and then we’ll round off the whole thing with a witchy flashmob.
Sign up before the con by sending an email to thewitchesroadflashmob@gmail.com

Another Castle is the geekiest (mostly) women’s choir in Helsinki, Finland. Archipelacon 2 will host a performance by the choir that draws from their repertoire of songs inspired by fantasy, sci-fi, video games, anime, films, etc.

Test your knowledge about the two cities and countries that host next year’s Eurocon and the bid for 2027: We invite you to a little quiz show, asking you to decide whether this museum or that statue is located in Berlin or Lisbon, whether this historical event or that important figure is from Portugal or Germany. Come play with us and get to know your next two Eurocon destinations! There will be prizes for the most knowledgeable participants.

Karkia Walo interlaces poetry inspired by sci-fi, popular culture and science news with inter-planetary soundscapes on modular synthesizers. The work explores human efforts to travel into space and questions the price paid for these efforts. The poetry in the performance is partly in English and partly in Finnish. We start by floating in ambient orbit, but dance away with the animal astronauts towards the end.

The performance will start at 21.00, but the bar is open from the early evening. After the performance you can stay and chat with old and new friends, and enjoy the night until sunrise!

Archipelacon 2 Guest of Honour Mats Strandberg reads excerpts from his work. After the reading Mats Strandberg will be signing books in the Main Hall.

Speculative fiction can give special perspectives on how romance and relationships can be imagined again. Queering gender, body and sexuality in stories gives both pleasure and food for thought. The writers of queer romantic speculative fiction tell explicitly how they do it.

From Francis Bacon, arguably the first science fiction writer–for New Atlantis–to Jules Verne and Arthur Clarke, the most durable anticipations of future technology in science fiction, and reality, have come from careful observation of nature and experiment followed by careful, even if breathtaking, extrapolation that is at least consistent with what is known.

A key part of successful anticipation is understanding what a law of nature is, versus a theory, and how technologies develop, what constrains them, and what does not.

Millainen on sinun viehättävin sankarisi? Entä hirvittävin hirviösi? Tässä pajassa kirjoitetaan ja/tai piirretään/maalataan. Pajaan voi tulla ja lähteä pois silloin, kun haluaa pajan aukioloaikana. Tarjolla on nopeasti tehtäviä kirjoitusharjoituksia, piirustus- ja askarteluvälineitä ja kevyesti ohjattua toimintaa kaikentasoisille tekijöille. Osallistu myös kollektiivisen banderollin tekemiseen. Ei ikärajaa, mutta lapset/nuoret ruuhkan sattuessa etusijalla. Vetäjä, kirjailija Anne Leinonen, ohjaa kirjoitusharjoitukset ja taidetehtävät.

From tall ships to star cruisers, the spirit of the sea has long sailed into the realm of science fiction. This panel explores how traditions, themes, and aesthetics of nautical fiction have influenced the creation of iconic starships and galactic adventures.

Presentation on the Archipelacon 2 Academic Track: the Fafnir Anniversary Symposium.

Archipelacon 2 Guest of Honour Jeff VanderMeer is interviewed by Jukka Halme. After the interview, Jeff VanderMeer will be signing books in the Main Hall.

Before Honor Among Thieves, there was The Wrath of the Dragon God. Before the Legend of Vox Machina, there was the Dungeons & Dragons cartoon. A veteran of a role-playing games film club tells the good, bad, and the ugly of the long history of cinema and television based on, inspired by, or adjacent to role-playing games and larp.

Presentation on the Archipelacon 2 Academic Track: the Fafnir Anniversary Symposium.

Learn the basics of partner dancing rooted in the living tradition of Finnish folk dance! You don’t need previous dance experience or a partner of your own. In this session you’ll learn the basics of sottiisi (schottische) and polska.

Archipelacon 2 Guest of Honour Emmi Itäranta reads excerpts from her work.

The self-appointed experts on all matters Hugo discuss this year’s Hugo finalists. This panel focuses on the non-literature categories aka Everything Else (Dramatic presentations, Game or Interactive Work, Fancast, Artist etc.)

Solo journaling games combine writing prompts and role-playing game mechanics in an interesting way. These games are perfect for busy adults without a playing group that have a hankering for adventure and a nice supply of crafting materials. Come and learn about your new favourite games!

What sets Finnish transhumanist science fiction apart from global trends? In the early 2000s Finland was at the front lines of mobile technology development, but is this history of innovation represented in Finnish cyberpunk? And how does biopunk tie in with the Finns’ love of forests and nature?

Kiinalaisen perinteikkään fantasian genret wuxia ja xianxia ovat vahvasti edustettuja myös danmein piirissä. Siis pääasiassa naisten pääasiassa naisille kirjoittama homoromanttinen kirjallisuus, ja sen fantasiallinen haara. Mitä se on, mitä nämä termit tarkoittavat, mitä kannattaa lukea ja mistä sitä saa? Esitys, jota Kiinan hallinto ei halua sinun kuulevan.

The Farmhouse Cards OY invites you to come and try the popular Trading Card Game Flesh & Blood. Get an introduction to the game and the new Set High Seas.

Farmhouse Cards runs a shop in Mariehamn where players can buy the latest TCG & Board Games.

Welcome to meet us at Archipelacon.

Archipelacon 2 Guest of Honour Mats Strandberg is interviewed by Linnéa Anglemark.

How are folklore and fables used in literature and what fascinates us in these themes? Are there hidden gems that should be adapted, what is missing? The panelists also talk about their favorite folklore examples and literature that uses them.

The history of contemporary Ukrainian SF and fantasy fiction, an overview of platforms for authors and the state of the market.

Treasure and peril in the depths of a ruined metropolis! Author and gamewright Ville Vuorela runs a one-shot adventure of Praedor RPG, the iconic but gritty tabletop RPG based on the works of equally renowned Finnish comic book artist Petri Hiltunen. Although it has been around for 25 years, this is the first time that the game will be run in English!

Session will be in English, we will use simplified pre-rolled characters. No prior experience of Praedor or even tabletop roleplaying games in general is required.

Sign-up for the RPG session can be found in the Archipelacon info.

Presentation on the Archipelacon 2 Academic Track: the Fafnir Anniversary Symposium.

What is Finnish horror literature? Who was the first horror writer? What kinds of works have been written in Finland at different times? Many prominent figures in Finnish literature wrote horror – but some of them wanted to forget their youthful sins. Matti Järvinen gives a lecture on the history of Finnish horror literature and presents interesting works, authors and trends.

Ursula K. Le Guin (1929-2018) was one of science fiction’s most beloved and influential writers. Julie Phillips, author of James Tiptree Jr.: The Double Life of Alice B. Sheldon and of a forthcoming biography of Le Guin, talks about interviewing Le Guin, about the ideas that shaped her work, and about the surprises that can be found in her archives.

Grimdark fantasy has dominated the genre for over a decade, constantly mirroring the worst parts of our reality. When did fantasy stop giving us a world we’d want to escape to? Indie author Bear Wiseman explores the current state of the genre and offers an alternative with The Vitmar Chronicles—a new series that proves kinder worlds can still host epic tales, and you don’t need to save the world to be the hero of your own story.

Tabletop role-playing games, computer role-playing games, live-action role-playing games and watching actual play series all give us the opportunity to be immersed in different worlds and play different roles. Our panelists talk about their game history, their favourite games, their ups and downs and memorable experiences in playing.

Metamorphosis is one of the classical themes used in fantasy. What kind of fresh interpretations of the trope have emerged from recent Finnish speculative fiction? Why do transformations of the body continue to inspire writers, centuries after centuries?

Presentation on the Archipelacon 2 Academic Track: the Fafnir Anniversary Symposium.

Nestled in the heart of Central Europe, Slovenia has a modest but no less lively SciFi scene. In this presentation, the speakers will present the SciFi and Fantasy related activities, headed by the Celje Literary Society:
– The Supernova magazine, the only Slovenian literary journal, specialized for speculative fiction
– The Fanfest festival, an annual gathering of SciFi/Fantasy authors and enthusiasts, organized in the Roman city of Celje (the notable recurring guest list includes the venerable dr. Zoran Živković),
– A showcase of Slovenian authors, who have collaborated with the Society
– and more!

The presentation will be held by Bojan Ekselenski, editor in chief at Supernova, and his assistant editor Dominik Lenarčič.

Moderated by Ann VanderMeer, all Archipelacon 2 Guests of Honour discuss and compare their experiences of having their work adapted to different media from television to theatre to film.

Scandinavian mythology and culture have shaped the worlds of fantasy and science fiction, from Tolkien’s Middle-earth to Marvel’s Thor. This panel explores how Nordic myths, landscapes, and folklore have influenced the genre’s most enduring stories.

Presentation on the Archipelacon 2 Academic Track: the Fafnir Anniversary Symposium.

A short overview of the contemporary Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror scene in Bulgaria (2000-2025) – we’ll be talking about popular books, authors, fans and tendencies, and – of course – the convents you may be interesting to visit.

Amira was five when the zois started arriving in the solar system. Fascinated with the huge, cell-like creatures floating among the stars, she became an astronaut and xenobiologist. Now, she and three other astronauts have taken residence in a zoi as it leaves for interstellar space. They have no way of steering its course. Communicating with their non-sentient host is limited to signals of physical needs. Then something starts growing on each of them—and their journey begins a new stage, with far-reaching consequences both for the humans and the zois.

Jane Mondrup is a Danish author. “Zoi”, published by Spaceboy Books, is her first novel in English.

Passionate about the genre and the community? Having a hard time attending Eurocons? Wanting to help out a fellow fan to get into the con experience? Welcome to the European Fandom Fund! We help fans from around the continent to participate and bring their flair to the cons and help make the community bigger and better.

SF sometimes envisages terraforming as a very slow process – in which case, what would the economics of such a (really) long-term investment look like? In other SF we have terraforming being done at much faster rates – would that only make it more profitable, or might there be drawbacks to fast-track terraforming for the corporation or society doing it?

In this talk we’ll explore the economic and financial implications of different kinds of terraforming and compare with how we see terraforming portrayed in SF.

The modern Science fiction (SF) has advanced hand in hand with science: SF provided inspiration and a safe sandbox for gedankenexperiments and discussions of the ethics of progress – particularly relevant today. The panel will concentrate on what influence the latest discoveries – particularly in astronomy – have on the SF and on how the changing societies and sensibilities that SF picked up early, like the preservation of the environment, influence scientists and the general population: a few example are the turn to renewable energy sources, the reduction of science travel, etc.

Czech lands are rich in ghost stories and folk tales. What is a spitter? What does a rusalka look like? And how to survive an encounter with them? Czech writer Lucie Lukačovičová will tell you in her talk.

People talk a lot about dark academia these days, but what is the genre really about? Who gets to go to magic university? And where is the university – in the UK or US, or can it be somewhere else? How does every professor have so much time to hang out with their students? And why is student feedback or course evaluation never mentioned? Where are the teacher protagonists? Two postdoctoral researchers discuss writing and reading in the genre of dark academia while also talking about their own experiences in academia.

High fantasy has a lot of window dressing taken from the European Middle Ages, but what is too much? Does an audience that readily accepts elves and wizards also readily accept tobacco, potatoes, or germ theory? What do readers expect? What modern technologies or customs would be too much for them?

There are very few superheroes as recognised worldwide as Superman and Batman. So, why wasn’t the DC Extended Universe franchise built around DC comics characters the success that studios wanted or expected?

This two-part presentation series takes an in-depth look at all the films and tries to answer the question how it all failed so spectacularly after only 10 years. The first part covers how it all got started and how quickly the first films maybe went off the rails.

Jo Walton reads from her new novel, Everybody’s Perfect.

Compared with most Worldcons there were not very many attendees from outside the host country. As one of those who did go to Chengdu from elsewhere (and had absolutely nothing to do with the Hugos, so please don’t ask) I intend to discuss what the Chinese organisers did well – and badly – and what the Convention was like for a stranger to China.

Five new books of Finnish weird in English: two anthologies, a collection of short stories, a novel and a poetry anthology. Interviews from each book with writers and editors. A versatile setting of Finnish weird niche for the curious mind!

Ada Palmer reads from her new novel Hearthfire.

Vesa Sisättö talks about the history of science fiction in Finland. The very first Finnish science fiction short story was published in 1803. During the 19th century writers of science fiction expressed their opinions about modernization, the future, the status of the Finnish language and women’s emancipation.

When Finland became independent in 1917, science fiction was the first genre where unhinged nationalism could bloom. And that was… not a good thing. This talk will wrap up with the war years and the special ”korsuscifi”, war-time science fiction which commented on the hard times and sometimes expressed the hope of peace.

The Masquerade, a convention favourite, provides a chance for participants to display their creativity in costume-making, whether through unique designs or showcasing their finest store-bought outfits. All age groups are encouraged to join the Masquerade, with the option to sign up either online or at the registration desk during the convention. The registration deadline is Friday, July 27th, at 21:00.
The European Science Fiction Society (ESFS) is an international organisation of SF fans and professionals who are committed to promoting Science Fiction in Europe and European Science Fiction worldwide. The nominees for the 2025 Achievement Awards and the 2025 Hall of Fame Awards have been announced, with the winners set to receive their awards on Saturday evening following the Masquerade event.

The award ceremony for the Masquerade will take place right after the ESFS ceremony. We hope you’ll join us!

After a long day of inspirational fodder for your brains, why not shake your bodies? DJ Lanai will spin dance-able 80s bangers and more. Come as you are, let’s do the time warp & let the super trouper lights find you! It is called the Scalzi ersatz disco in homage to the great Worldcon dance nights hosted by John Scalzi and his blinking, glittery hat.

The disco will start at 22.00, but the bar is open from the early evening. See you there!

How to make a decision on what language to write in? Do you prioritise globalisation and reaching new audiences, or cultural preservation and the nuance of skill in your native language? What else might a writer’s choice be based upon? Three writers discuss personal experiences and reflect upon the demands and possibilities of their field.

Have you been fascinated by amazing powers such as magic, mystical martial arts, and abilities enabled by advanced technology in scifi and fantasy? In contemporary Chinese SFF, supernatural and superhuman powers transcend genre boundaries, as they can be found for example in fantasy, wuxia (stories about heroic martial artists), and even science fiction.

This panel discussion will feature PhD students focusing on Chinese SFF who will talk about how various Chinese novels, films and games depict different kinds of powers, from fantastical martial arts and qi cultivation to abilities that combine supernatural elements with futuristic technology, and how these are related to the interaction between different genres. In addition, we will also talk about the relationship between fictional supernatural powers and real-life Chinese culture, such as kung fu, tai chi, and qigong.

How are specific localities used in speculative fiction? What kind of sexy stories emerge from the Saimaa lakeland area? Does Central Ostrobothnia provide special horror elements to the stories or archipelago nuance to novels aimed at younger readers? The panel discusses how a specific, even peripheral location can give spice to a speculative story.

Minne on kadonnut Alinea-tädin leipoma omenapiirakka? Aranwythin heimon Kotkan klaanin lapset pestataan etsimään sitä. Tarjolla on sadunomaista peliä niin lapsille kuin aikuisille.

Sääntöinä toimii suomenkielinen HeroQuest-roolipeli yksinkertaistetussa muodossa, mutta sääntöjä ei tarvitse osata etukäteen. Pelissä on valmiit pelihahmot 2–5 pelaajalle. Pelissä pitää osata lukea ja kirjoittaa jonkin verran tai olla joku avustamassa niissä.

Microfiction can be as short as a tweet or a longer drabble consisting of 100 words. As a form it challenges the writer since it still needs to have a beginning, a middle and an end. Or is it after all easier to write than longer forms? Talking about the joys and the hardships of writing microfiction are authors that have experience from both short and long storytelling modes.

Presentation on the Archipelacon 2 Academic Track: the Fafnir Anniversary Symposium. You can read the abstract on the Archipelacon 2 website.

Esitelmä osana Archipelacon 2 Akateemista ohjelmaa: Fafnir Juhlavuosi Symposiumia. Esitelmän abstrakti on luettavissa Archipelacon 2:n verkkosivuilla.

Since the pandemic, a lot of people have been working on so called granny hobbies; sewing, knitting, gardening, baking, woodworking. Looked at from another perspective, these could be called post-apocalyptic life skills, fueled by our taste of apocalypse light. While these hobbies are great in the pre-apocalypse, how much would they really be of use in the post-apocalypse? Our panelists discuss various aspects of their hobbies from getting started to how they would be useful and also useless after the apocalypse.

The Southern Reach series by Jeff VanderMeer had its ten-year-anniversary last year. Join us in celebration of the Southern Reach that includes all kinds of cool fan art, movie stills, etc, and other brilliant things.

Archipelacon 2 Guest of Honour Ann VanderMeer and science fiction critic/editor/publisher Cheryl Morgan join forces to answer any and all questions you might have regarding getting published, especially in the English-speaking world.

Tilaisuudessa julkistetaan Tähtifantasia-palkinto, joka jaetaan edellisvuoden parhaalle Suomessa ilmestyneelle fantasiakirjalle. Ei varjoraatia tällä kertaa, mutta pientä keskustelua ehdokkaista kuitenkin.

Treasure and peril in the depths of a ruined metropolis! Author and gamewright Ville Vuorela runs a one-shot adventure of Praedor RPG, the iconic but gritty tabletop RPG based on the works of equally renowned Finnish comic book artist Petri Hiltunen. Although it has been around for 25 years, this is the first time that the game will be run in English!

Session will be in English, we will use simplified pre-rolled characters. No prior experience of Praedor or even tabletop roleplaying games in general is required.

Sign-up for the RPG session can be found in the Archipelacon info.

The writers of Finnish speculative fiction read aloud excerpts of their texts in English. Come and listen to the juiciest bits of the stories!

Presentation on the Archipelacon 2 Academic Track: the Fafnir Anniversary Symposium. You can read the abstract on the Archipelacon 2 website.

What is it like for an author to write for audiovisual media such as games, films, or TV shows? Is creation easier with a team or is it a hindrance? Our experts recount their experiences and reflect on the pleasant and unpleasant experiences they have had along the way.

Everybody has their ”Best of” list for their favourite classic heroes. What is the best book, graphic novel or movie, for example. And there are plenty to choose from, in careers spanning decades and all corners of the globe. But what are the worst versions? When the character has been turned into its polar opposite, production truly sucks or the story is an amazing brainwreck. This is a tongue-in-the-cheek look at the most embarrassing moments of some classic heroes, the odd, the hilarious and the naughty.

Is there more to neurodiverse representation in speculative fiction than robots, aliens and manic pixie dream people? Yes! It is possible for authors to give us characters on the spectrum who are more than a collection of stereotypes in a trenchcoat, and that includes characters who aren’t diagnosed. A panel of neurodiverse fans and creators will discuss characters we think pass – or don’t pass! – as neurodivergent, and why.

The author will be reading and showing fanart and maps connected to the story. Depending on interest there could also be a discussion on the worldbuilding.
Read on https://www.royalroad.com/fiction/16344/the-last-philosopher

Almost every European country has their own award in the field of speculative fiction but how do they compare to each other? Our panelists tell about their local awards and contrast their own personal experiences being involved in organizing or participating in awards.

Presentation on the Archipelacon 2 Academic Track: the Fafnir Anniversary Symposium. You can read the abstract on the Archipelacon 2 website.

What would it be like to live in a society like the Moominvalley? Would democracy be better if we were more like Moomins and can Moomins help us to live in a more harmonious society?

Our panelists talk about the Moomin books and what we can learn from Tove Jansson’s creations.

There are very few superheroes as recognised worldwide as Superman and Batman. So, why wasn’t the DC Extended Universe franchise built around DC comics characters the success that studios wanted or expected?

This two-part presentation series takes an in-depth look at all the films and tries to answer the question how it all failed so spectacularly after only 10 years. This second part covers the rest of the DCEU films and looks towards the future of DC films.

It is time to say hejdå to Archipelacon 2! Join us for the closing ceremonies.

As usual for conventions, Archipelacon 2 also has a Dead Dog Party on the evening of the last day of the convention. The venue is again Arkipelag, which opens the bar just for us! So, if you are still in town for the evening, either if you are staying longer or your transport leaves later in the evening, come join us one more time!