Author Guide | BookFairy
📖 About Liviu Surugiu
Liviu Surugiu (born 10 October 1969) is a Romanian writer and screenwriter known for his contributions to science fiction, speculative fiction, fantasy and psychological thrillers. Born in Roșiorii de Vede, Romania, he has developed a distinctive literary voice through stories that explore consciousness, memory, dreams, identity, love, mortality and the boundaries of human experience.
Surugiu began writing at a young age. An early version of the story that would eventually develop into his novel Atavic dates back to 1983, demonstrating his long-standing fascination with speculative ideas.
His literary debut is associated with Jurnalul SF in the mid-1990s. His story Visându-l pe Mart Senson received the JSF-Atlantykron Award in 1994, before appearing in print.
Over the following decades, Surugiu published fiction in Romanian speculative-fiction magazines, including Jurnalul SF, SuperNova, Helion, Gazeta SF, Argos, Nautilus and Colecția de Povestiri Științifico-Fantastice.
His work subsequently reached international audiences through publications in several countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Italy, Spain and Germany.
Although science fiction remains central to his literary identity, Surugiu’s writing is not restricted to a single genre. His books frequently combine speculative concepts with emotional storytelling, philosophical questions, religious symbolism and psychological tension.
🌌 Why Read Liviu Surugiu?
Liviu Surugiu is an interesting choice for readers who enjoy Romanian science fiction that moves beyond technological speculation.
His stories often begin with an extraordinary possibility and develop into explorations of human behaviour.
Recurring subjects in his writing include:
- Dreams and alternative realities: the uncertain boundary between waking life and imagination.
- Memory and identity: questions about what makes us who we are.
- Love and mortality: emotional relationships confronted by time, separation and death.
- Religion and spirituality: the relationship between belief, morality and speculative possibilities.
- Human consciousness: the limits of perception and the nature of reality.
Readers who appreciate philosophical science fiction, psychological complexity and unexpected narrative directions may find much to explore in his work.
🏆 Literary Career and Recognition
Surugiu has received recognition in Romanian speculative-fiction circles for both his novels and shorter fiction.
Among his notable achievements:
- 1994: JSF-Atlantykron recognition for Visându-l pe Mart Senson.
- 2013: Finalist in the HBO–TIFF screenwriting competition.
- 2015: Recognition for Atavic as a science-fiction novel.
- 2016: Awards associated with Eral and the short-fiction collection Rămășițele viselor.
- 2020: Publication of his story The Choice in the American magazine Galaxy’s Edge.
- 2022: Fata de pe Drumul Mătăsii received a Romcon award for short fiction.
These achievements reflect a career spanning novels, short stories, international magazine publications and screenwriting.
📚 Liviu Surugiu’s Books
Early Science Fiction and Speculative Fiction
Imman (2011)
An early book-length version of a speculative story that Surugiu subsequently revised and expanded.
Atavic (2014) — Tritonic
A substantially revised and expanded development of Imman. The two titles are connected versions of the same underlying work and should not be mistaken for entirely unrelated novels.
Iubire și moarte pentru totdeauna (2014) — Casmir
A short work combining love, mortality and speculative themes, developed from earlier fiction.
Dreams, Reality and Human Experience
Rămășițele viselor (2015) — Tracus Arte
A collection of speculative stories exploring dreams, reality and the more elusive dimensions of human consciousness.
Eral (2015) — Univers
A speculative novel concerned with reality, perception, relationships and the possibilities hidden beyond ordinary experience.
Acesta este trupul meu (2016) — Tracus Arte
A short-fiction collection that explores human identity, emotional experience and the extraordinary possibilities of science fiction.
Pulsar (2017) — Tracus Arte
A science-fiction novel continuing the author’s exploration of speculative ideas and human experience.
Literary Fiction and New Directions
Fata de pe Drumul Mătăsii (2021) — Polirom
A collection of stories that brings together speculative fiction, magical realism and more intimate literary themes.
The book demonstrates Surugiu’s versatility and his willingness to move between different narrative traditions.
Sevraj (2022) — Polirom
A novel that marks another direction in his career, incorporating noir and crime-fiction elements alongside psychological tension.
✍️ Short Stories and Magazine Publications
Short fiction has played an essential role in Surugiu’s career.
Among his stories are:
- Visându-l pe Mart Senson
- Începutul
- Daniel
- Adevărul despre Woopy
- Mâinile lui Solomon
- Burta
- Castelul Câinilor
- Alcoolama — written with Ionuț Bănuță
- Îngeri și Câini
- Visus
- The Choice
His shorter works have appeared in magazines, anthologies and other speculative-fiction publications.
A separate bibliography provides the appropriate space for identifying their original publication dates, appearances in collections, translations and subsequent reprints without duplicating entries unnecessarily.
🌍 International Publications
Surugiu’s fiction has appeared beyond Romania, introducing his speculative storytelling to an international readership.
His story The Choice was published in Galaxy’s Edge in 2020.
His international presence is particularly noteworthy because Romanian speculative fiction has often faced challenges reaching readers outside its original language.
Through translation and publication abroad, writers such as Surugiu contribute to the wider visibility of contemporary Romanian science fiction.
🦋 Liviu Surugiu on BookFairy
📕 Acesta este trupul meu
BookFairy has reviewed Acesta este trupul meu, published by Tracus Arte in 2016.
The book offers an opportunity to explore Surugiu’s short fiction and his interest in speculative scenarios with emotional and philosophical consequences.
Read the BookFairy review of Acesta este trupul meu
📖 Where to Start Reading Liviu Surugiu
There is no single reading order that applies to all of Surugiu’s books, because his published works do not form one continuous fictional series.
For readers discovering him for the first time, these are useful starting points:
- Acesta este trupul meu — for readers interested in speculative short fiction.
- Rămășițele viselor — for those who enjoy stories about dreams and uncertain realities.
- Atavic — for readers who prefer a longer science-fiction narrative.
- Pulsar — for readers looking for another full-length speculative work.
- Fata de pe Drumul Mătăsii — for readers interested in his broader literary range.
- Sevraj — for those who enjoy darker psychological fiction and noir.
Readers interested in the evolution of Atavic may also wish to compare it with the earlier Imman.
📚 Complete Liviu Surugiu Bibliography
Explore the complete bibliography of Liviu Surugiu, including his science-fiction novels, novellas, short stories, collections, collaborations and international publications.
Discover his works in chronological order, from Imman and Atavic to Fata de pe Drumul Mătăsii and Sevraj, with publication details and recommended reading orders.
📚 Explore the Complete Liviu Surugiu Bibliography