Author, Translator & Speculative Fiction Researcher
Born in Ahvaz, Iran. Active in speculative fiction since 2000.
Mehdi Bonvari is an Iranian author and literary translator specializing in science fiction and fantasy. Over the past two decades, he has translated works by Ray Bradbury, Neil Gaiman, Philip Reeve, Stanisław Lem, Ted Chiang, and Jack Vance into Persian.
His debut novel, Rivers of Mars (2023), is the first volume of The Adventures of the Bahram Twins — a YA space opera set on 24th-century Mars. Illustrated by Ehsan Mirzaei. Published by Bazh.
He served as editor-in-chief of the Fantasy Academy (2008–2011) and Iran’s Speculative Fiction Group (2011–2013), co-founded the Speculative Fiction Arts & Literature Award, and established the Encyclopedia of Speculative Arts & Literature. He is a member of the Iranian Association of Writers for Children and Young Adults.
His work was cited at Chicon 8 (80th World Science Fiction Convention, Chicago, September 2022) in the panel “Cyberpunk Traditions Outside the United States.”
Published Translations
- The Martian Chronicles — Ray Bradbury (Parian, 2012) — Nominated for Best Translation
- Mortal Engines — Philip Reeve (Porteqal, 2019) — 6th printing (2024)
- Where the Woods End — Charlotte Salter (Porteqal, 2019) — 8th printing (2024)
- Predator’s Gold — Philip Reeve (Porteqal, 2020)
- Neverwhere — Neil Gaiman (Parian, 2020)
- How the Marquis Got His Coat Back — Neil Gaiman (Parian, 2020)
- The Halloween Tree — Ray Bradbury (Peydayesh, 2020)
- The Lifecycle of Software Objects — Ted Chiang (Metaphor Space, online)
Current Projects
- Trigger Warning — Neil Gaiman — Translation complete, editing
- The Cyberiad — Stanisław Lem — Translating
- Reality That Glitched — YA fantasy novel set in Shiraz — Writing
- Tales of Chaos — Multi-timeline sci-fi/historical fiction — Writing