Julien - in French

[dude]

Hi everyone.

We proudly announce the posting of Julien by Engor in it's English Translation by David Clarke is now joined by the original version in French. I'll let the author explain why he asked us to do so:

Why posting two versions of the same story　?

I could answer very simply that it's because it was first written in French. But there is another reason　: there is no decent French site where I could possibly post it. The few ones I visited are offering the French equivalent of the very dregs of Nifty. I am not fussy, but there are limits to what one is willing to endure in order to be read.

Awesome Dude, to me, is something like an oasis in which I can enjoy well written fiction. A place where language is not routinely abused and words of more than three syllabs used without fear of being misunderstood. I can even discuss in forums that are completely free of these awful verbal rebuses used in 'texting'.

I asked to be allowed to post the French version of Julien here and I consider myself honoured to be able to do so among people I respect and whose works I can appreciate.

So if you are an English speaker who also happens to love French, read the wonderful translation by my friend David Clarke, but don't hesitate to sample the original and wonder if you would have been as good as him in rendering not the words, but the very spirit of the story. I know I could not. Believe me　: I tried　!

　

Aux lecteur francophones.

C'est pour moi un grand plaisir de pouvoir publier ici la version originale de Julien. J'ai en vain cherché un site français d'une semblable tenue et je n'en ai pas trouvé. Sans être délicat outre mesure, je n'ai pas pu me résoudre à envoyer ma prose aux quelques sites francophones que j'ai eu le malheur d'explorer et Julien serait vraisemblablement demeuré à l'état d'ébauche inachevée si la proposition de traduction de David Clarke ne m'avait ouvert d'autres horizons.

Cependant, il m'aurait semblé dommage de ne pas offrir à ici quelques amateurs francophones la possibilité d'accéder aussi à l'original et soit de lire ainsi avec plus de facilité, soit de trouver là un amusant test de leur capacité à passer d'un langage à l'autre.

Aux Français, je tiens à dire que le texte de David Clarke est un assez bon exemple de ce que devrait être la traduction d'un roman. Partout où cela était nécessaire, il n'a pas hésité à s'écarter un peu de la lettre pour respecter l'esprit de l'histoire et insuffler la vie dans le récit. Qu'il en soit remercié　!

In either language it's an amazing an entertaining story. Don't fail to read it!

Mike

[Jeff Ellis]

A brilliant idea... well done both Mike and Engor... my French is getting rusty... a wonderful opportunity to have two tabs open... as Mihangel's boys would call it... a "crib"

[Camy]

A wonderful idea!

[Jeff Ellis]

I'm sure there must be a thread for the English version... but anyway.

Engor should be congratulated on having created a totally believable and self-consistent fantasy world. Part One is ended and is a triumph of anglo-french cooperation... so congratulations too to David for his translation, without which we would have read much more slowly and probably... certainly... not have survived eighty chapters

[Gee Whillickers]

I just finished the English version. Bravo to both Engor for the wonderful world building and characters and to David Clarke for the translation.

I am eagerly awaiting book 2!

[Lugnutz]

I started reading this a couple days ago. The English version. Almost to the end. Outstanding! Once I finish this book, book two should be just as good.

[Lugnutz]

I read this whole tale again. Is book three coming eventually? It was mentioned at the end on the last chapter of book two.