Presentation of "Cargo of Clones", by Chiara Rolandelli
When I was assigned "Cargo dei Cloni" to translate, I was very pleased. It had been months since I had translated a book. The only thing was that it was a translation from Italian to English. "Oh my Goodness", I said to myself. "I'm Italian, and even though I have studied English for years, I’m not English mother tongue. Will I be able to write a text which isn't in my mother tongue, in the same way I have done for some years?" This new task which I had been given and which I decided to accept would be a great challenge. Moreover, it was a subject matter which was totally new to me, science-fiction. Up to that point I had translated only fiction for children and teenagers, mostly love stories, adventures, and stories about vampires and witches.
As soon as I started to read "Cargo dei cloni", from the first lines, I understood that it would be an arduous job! The author, Piero Boi, used a writing style which created some problems for me, because of its confused and sometimes not very clear sentences. On the contrary, the English language demands simple and comprehensible sentences, without many subordinate clauses. It’s even better if the sentences are short. The style in which "Cargo dei Cloni" is written isn’t at all straightforward to translate into English, especially not without losing the author's unique signature.
So, my first reaction to this text was "Oh, my Goodness! How difficult it is to understand this language! How do I best translate it ?" I had to interpret the meaning of sentences in the right way, to make them simpler in order to translate them appropriately into English, even splitting a sentence which was too long in two and changing the punctuation where necessary, but never distorting the text’s nature.
Moreover, I realized immediately that I wouldn’t find many dialogues in this text, only a few lines from time to time. Instead, the author used long descriptions of events, meetings and moves among the various planets of the Solar System and endless lists of objects to narrate the story. "Truly a very descriptive text! And the author was so intent on the details! A very unique book, in its plot, language and style".
And yet, in spite of my doubts and apprehension as I was ventured through this new task, I discovered after a few pages that I had already grown fond of this story and of the main character who I was getting to know: Tuiavii. I was the translator by now, it was just me, and I liked it, I absolutely wanted to create the best possible English text, giving my maximum effort to get a product which would be understandable to, and enjoyed by, all English-speaking readers. In fact, every time I translate a book I think: "This time too I give the reader the opportunity to enjoy something intentionally created by me for him".
"Cargo dei Cloni" melds science fiction and adventure, with a unique love story that weaves through space and time to create an enjoyable, unpretentious read for the science fiction fan. Its unique style and quirky characters are revealed as we follow Tuiavii on his journey as a young rebel fighter to the leader of an army opposing universal domination. Meanwhile, we witness how several fascinating civilizations band together and eventually prove that cooperation and brotherhood are the qualities that eventually redeem them against a common enemy.
Therefore, after a few pages I was completely captivated by "Cargo dei Cloni" and engrossed in the personal events of the protagonist, Tuiavii. I appreciated this character, because Tuiavii is certainly a man who, through his circumstances, becomes an hero. And he's a true hero, because his human nature never fades: his humanity is continuously highlighted throughout the text, in his fears, weaknesses, emotions and feelings. Although he never searched out the role of hero, the role was given to him because he was able to carry it out. He's a hero, but first of all he's a man. He embodies the character of the virile man, with his physicality and his presence. Moreover, the author makes him be prolific. I think that, in this sense, the author has been greatly influenced by the autochthon populations' culture of Madagascar, the country where he has been living for over thirty years. In countries like this, fertility and offspring are measures of wealth, and therefore Tuiavii’s family is immediately wealthy. I appreciated this value very much, because our modern society is based more on the figure of the “single” man, and tends to be more selfish, and no longer based on large families as before, where the sense of belonging was very strong.
Looking back, even though I found the descriptions quite tedious at the beginning, I soon learned to enjoy them. Every move among the planets of the Solar System is described with care and patience, as well as Tuiavii’s every meeting with the various characters of the story.
The reader is quickly introduced to his complex background and eclectic group of friends though the writer's articulate writing, rich in detail and descriptions. Like the traditional hero, he finds his way through a series of struggles and faces his adversaries with the help of Facta, his trusted sidekick. As he struggles to put aside his own desires for a stable family life in order to help to save the planet, we come to see him as a relatable, fallible everyman thrust into an impossible situation. And how can one not root for the accidental hero that overcomes his own inner conflicts for the sake of a bigger cause? Readers will soon find themselves enjoying the twists and turns of this unusual novel.
"Cargo dei Cloni" took on a life of its own in the English language, with a rising enthusiasm from my side because I truly love this job and because every book that is to be translated has an immense value for me, like a treasure hidden underground and yet to be discovered.
