I’ve always loved science fiction and fantasy stories that focus on language, translation, and linguistics. And I’m not talking about the Tolkien-esque creation of whole fictional languages to furnish invented worlds, which I’m also in awe of, but about books where the very act of communication or translation itself becomes core to the plot.

Why do these stories appeal? I think it’s that mysterious sense that something needs to be “decoded”, the bridging of culture gaps, and the unlocking of exciting new possibilities for human (or non-human) connection. The theme of language itself also just inherently feels a little magical. The fact our brains are capable, with enough effort and exposure, to transform unintelligible babble into something meaningful, is remarkable. I admire the almost superpower-like ability of polyglots to shift seamlessly between different languages, and I enjoy encountering characters like this in stories.

Then there’s the fact that fantasy and sci-fi books about translation also often explore issues of exploitation, trade and colonialism in compelling and nuanced ways, throwing us into situations where one dominant language is squeezing out another, or where empires tussle to gain the upper hand during negotiations done via translators and ambassadors.

A lot of the books I’ve loved in this space have also inspired my own writing. My epic romantasy that’s currently on submission features two enemy soldiers from very different cultural backgrounds who find a connection in a fable they both loved as children, where a translation crossed borders that little else did. And the speculative thriller I’m currently editing centres on a linguist whose decipherment of a long-extinct language uncovers ancient secrets that endanger her life. The latter was partially inspired by two of the stories in the below list, and after writing it, I discovered other great SFF books in this vein through recommendations from friends or searches for comparative titles.

So I thought I’d give a shout out to some of these linguistics-fuelled speculative novels and list my 6 favourites: