Fantázia

Infobox Magazine
title = Fantázia


image_size =
image_caption = Cover of the first issue of Fantázia published July 1997
company = Ivan Aľakša -- Fantázia
frequency = Quarterly, originally Bimonthly
paid_circulation =
unpaid_circulation =
total_circulation =
language = Slovak
category = Science fiction, Fantasy, Horror
editor = Juraj Malíček
firstdate = July, 1997
country = Slovakia
website = [http://www.fantazia.sk]
issn = 1335-2601

"Fantázia" is the only Slovak science fiction, fantasy and horror magazine. [http://www.fandom.sk/browse.php?id=1800 (in Slovak)] It was first published in July 1997. The magazine was started in Šaľa, Slovakia by Ivan Aľakša, who served as its editor until 2006, when he withdrew to concentrate on publishing and was replaced by Juraj Malíček. [http://www.fantazia.sk/clanok.php?clanok_id=2577 (in Slovak)]

Periodicity

"Fantázia"'s original publishing frequency was bimonthly, this was however dropped in favour of quarterly periodicity by the year 2000. Since then, the magazine kept oscillating between the two, occasionally even dropping to three issues per year, as shown in the list below, compiled according to the information from the publisher's official website. [http://www.fantazia.sk/static.php?dir=fantazia (in Slovak)] [http://www.fantazia.sk/browse.php?id=1800 (in Slovak)]

In 2007, it was announced that the magazine would be discontinued, as it had not, unlike in previous years, been awarded a government grant by the Ministry of Culture of the Slovak Republic. Only two magazine issues, the lowest number since 1997, were published that year.

On May 11, 2008, Juraj Červenák posted news [http://www.cervenak.sk/forum_list.php?forum_id=104 (in Slovak)] on his personal website to the effect that he was working on (and had already submitted the first part of) a new historical fantasy novel, to be serialized in the revived "Fantázia" magazine. As of May 2008 there was no official announcement from the publisher as for when the next issue of the magazine would see the light of day.

* two issues in 1997 (#0 to #1)
* six issues in 1998 (#2 to #7)
* five issues in 1999 (#8 to #12)
* four issues in 2000 (#13 to #16)
* four issues in 2001 (#17 to #20)
* three issues in 2002 (#21 to #23)
* five issues in 2003 (#24 to #28)
* four issues in 2004 (#29 to #32)
* three issues in 2005 (#33 to #35)
* three issues in 2006 (#36 to #38)
* two issues in 2007 (#39 to #40)

ignificance

Being the only Slovak magazine specializing in science fiction, fantasy and horror, "Fantázia" helped to introduce several new writers to Slovak (and, to certain extent, Czech) audiences in the late 1990s and 2000s.

After the annual "Krutohlav" anthology which collected best short stories written by contenders for the Gustáv Reuss Award ceased its publication in 2004, "Fantázia" remained one of the few viable opportunities for aspiring writers to get their works published in Slovakia.

Among the authors popularized by the magazine are Juraj Červenák, Dušan Fabian (whose debut novel, Invocatio Elementalium, was serialized in the magazine in 2006-2007), Michal Jedinák, Zuska Minichová and Anton Stiffel, while former Gustáv Reuss Award winners Jozef Girovský, Štefan Huslica and Alexandra Pavelková have each had several stories published.

Fantázia Award

Since 2003 "Fantázia" has held its own annual literary contest, originally called Raketa (Rocket) [http://www.fantazia.sk/clanok.php?clanok_id=1812 (in Slovak)] , and later renamed to Cena Fantázie (Fantázia Award Contest). The award gained importance especially after the discontinuation of the similarly conceived Gustáv Reuss Award Contest.

The contest is free to enter for authors of original, previously unpublished short stories written in the Slovak language and of up to 36,000 characters. A committee of five judges selects five of the submitted stories to be shortlisted for the award and published in the "Fantázia" magazine. The winner is subsequently determined by readers' vote. [http://www.fantazia.sk/clanok.php?clanok_id=2635 (in Slovak)]

A list of Fantázia Award winners

* Juraj Červenák in 2003
* Alexandra Pavelková in 2004
* Scarlett Rauschgoldová in 2005
* Monika Michalovová in 2006
* Lucia Droppová in 2007

References

Notes

ee also

* Science fiction magazine
* Fantasy fiction magazine
* Horror fiction magazine

External links

* [http://www.fantazia.sk "Fantázia" official website]
* [http://www.fantazia.sk/static.php?dir=fantazia An online archive with contents of all "Fantázia" issues up to #29]