WELCOME TO 2016...

Let us wish you, readers, a Happy New Year that comes full of surprises and events!!!

2016: YEAR OF THE FIRE MONKEY

This Year of the Fire Monkey is brought to you, conveniently, by the Pokémon Infernape.

2016: LEAP YEAR

February this year will be one day longer, adding Rare Disease Day (the 29th of Feb) to the calendar.

2016: OLYMPIC YEAR

Like every other leap year, there will be Olympics, this time in Rio and elsewhere across Brazil. Which means a summer full of: Sports, samba, colour, heat, and care for the environment...

Vinicius (jaguar+macaw+monkey+frog) combines the characteristics of various animals of the Amazon rainforest, while Tom (leafy bush with a flower on top) combines those of various plants of the same ecosystem. The Olympic mascots, representing the fauna and flora (respectively) of the vast, diverse Amazon, are named after famous Brazilian musicians. 

Both of them are also endowed with powers: Vinicius can stretch into infinity like rubber, while Tom can pull anything out of his leafy head...

2016: YEAR OF NORDIC COUNTERPART CULTURES

From the blazing Brazilian tropics to the freezing waters of Ondalina and lands of Galagard, where Astrid Kolfinnsdóttir's secrets will reach Spanish audiences and we will get to meet her family and friends in the Kolfinn clan's redoubtable ice palace.

And overconfident, crusading Kveldbera Menadóttir has as much to say and for us to know about her as Astrid. Let's hope neither Kolfinn's daughter nor Mena's disappoints us who are fans of them!!!

2016: LITERARY YEAR 

Sancho, Quijote... Quijote, Sancho...

Othello and Desdemona have to represent the Bard in this blog once more. Just 'cause I love them

The Bard of Avon and the Manco of Lepanto, Miguel and William... both of them left this brave new world in 1616, four centuries ago. Which makes this a GREAT YEAR for literature lovers like me. Famous authors will retell their works: Jo Nesbö, for instance, will tackle a noir version of Macbeth; Tracy Chevalier is, this autumn, due to retell Othello; and Margaret Atwood will surprise us with her own Tempest. All of these works will be translated into Spanish and published by Lumen.

2016: YEAR OF THE HOPE KINGDOM'S DELIVERANCE

Speaking of the Bard's works, Shut, having been cashiered by Lady Dyspear, has got a path ahead that sounds pretty Shakespearean; brooding, fallen from grace, turning his back on both Towa and Shamour in spite of their efforts... Something tells me that he will be a key player in the resistance's endeavour to free the occupied Hope Kingdom from Dysdark rule... (Cue "Do You Hear the People Sing?", Dermark's gender-equal version, sung by the whole cast of the series).

2016: THE YEAR BRIENNE WILL DIE?

With the Winds of Winter howling at the door of this new year, we cross our fingers for the Maid of Tarth to survive for yet another book more of this thrilling series. We wish that she would confess her feelings to Jaime, and/or meet Stannis and Mel up north (to avenge Renly or not? That is the question!) We keep our fingers crossed as we pray for the Maiden to keep her pure as she still is, for the Warrior to give her unwavering courage, to the Crone to give her wisdom and insight, and for the Stranger to delay her final hour at least for a novel more.