Based on their impact and prize money, the Minotauros, which were created in 2004, are considered the leading awards of this genre in Spanish. They have been won by authors of such renown as León Arsenal, Rudy Martínez, Javier Negrete, Víctor Conde, Carlos Sisí and Pablo Tébar. In the most recent editions, however, it has stood out for rewarding newcomers, with the 2020 award going to Sabino Cabeza's space adventure novel Frontera oscura and the 2021 award going to Fabián Plaza's uchronic novel featuring alien creatures Más fría que la guerra. Both of them, accompanied by the editor Vicky Hidalgo and the writer Sofía Rhei as moderator, are coming to Festival 42 to tell us about their experience, their narrative offering, their influences in the genre (and not just literary ones) and the new stage of the award, which is probably the one that currently receives the most science fiction, horror and fantasy manuscripts and is therefore a good barometer for assessing current trends and approaches by today's writers.

Taking part:

Sabino Cabeza is a writer, psychoanalyst and non-commissioned officer in the army. He is a fan of Verne, Tolkien, Le Guin, Anderson, Bradbury, Pratchett and Domingo Santos, among others, and won the 2020 Minotauro award for his science fiction work Frontera oscura.

Vicky Hidalgo is the editorial director of Minotauro.

Fabián Plaza is a lawyer, writer and specialist on modern China. He is a human rights activist and a fan of strategy, simulation and role-playing games, and has won the 2021 Minotaur award with his uchronic novel Más fría que la guerra.

Moderated by:

Sofía Rhei is a writer specialising in speculative genres and experimental poetry. She collects seeds and Lego bricks. Her books for adults and young adults include Haberlas, haylas, Flores de sombra, Róndola, El bosque profundo and Newropia, among others.