Indrek Hargla
Indrek Hargla (given name Indrek Sootak; has also used the pseudonyms Andrei Golikov and Marat Faizijev, born 12. VII 1970) is one of the best-known Estonian writers of science fiction and crime novels.
Hargla was born in 1970 into the family of a lecturer in law and a philologist. In 1993 he graduated from the faculty of law at the University of Tartu. Until 2012 he worked at the Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, including its diplomatic representation; since then he has been a professional writer. His wife is the children’s author Heli Illipe-Sootak.
Hargla’s works often contain elements of horror literature, but what is worthy of attention is his skill in reflecting everyday Estonian life as a background to the events. In a peaceful South Estonian village, bloodcurdling events may occur like in Minu päevad Liinaga (‘My days with Liina’), and in the quiet town of Tartu dizzyingly fantastic stories may unravel, like in French ja Koulu (‘French and Koulu’).
Wider public success has come from his series of crime novels set in medieval Tallinn in which the apothecary Melchior acts as a detective, and which has been appearing since 2010.
Hargla’s works are characterised by purity of genre, a detailed knowledge of historical materials and the cultures and conditions of other lands, and a fluent narrative skill. His works have been translated into several foreign languages, and in some countries the Melchior stories have attained a remarkable popularity.
In 2000-2020, Hargla has won the Estonian ‘Stalker’ science fiction prize 17 times. He won the Friedbert Tuglas short story prize in 2009 for the narrative Minu päevad Liinaga (Looming, no 8, 2008). The stories in the Apothecary Melchior series have won a number of prizes, including the Cultural Endowment Annual Award in 2011.
From 2012 to 2015 Hargla was a member of the Estonian Writers’ Union, from which he resigned at his own request, in protest against the Writers’ Union supporting the granting of Estonian citizenship to the writer Andrei Ivanov. He has publicly expressed nationalist sentiments.
A. Mv. (Translated by C. M.)
Books in Estonian
Novels
Baiita needus. Tallinn: Varrak, 2001, 207 lk.
Palveränd uude maailma. Tallinn: Varrak, 2003, 447 lk.
Vabaduse kõrgeim määr. Tallinn: Varrak, 2003, 380 lk.
Maris Stella. Tallinn: Salasõna, 2003, 168 lk.
French ja Koulu. Tallinn: Varrak, 2005, 471 lk. [Järgnevad trükid: 2016, 2018.]
French ja Koulu Tarbatus. Tallinn: Varrak, 2007, 403 lk. [2. trükk: 2018.]
Frenchi ja Koulu reisid. Tallinn: Varrak, 2009, 615 lk. [Kordustrükk: 2019.]
Süvahavva. Esimene suvi. Tallinn: Varrak, 2013, 430 lk.
Süvahavva. Teine suvi. Tallinn: Varrak, 2015, 421 lk.
Raudrästiku aeg. Muinas-Eesti kriminaalromaan. Pärnamäe: Raudhammas, 2016, 352 lk.
Doanizarre udulaam. Tallinn: Paradiis, 2017, 158 lk.
Merivälja. Pärnamäe: Raudhammas, 2017, 559 lk.
Kolmevaimukivi. Pärnamäe: Raudhammas, 2018, 425 lk.
The Apothecary Melchior novel series
Apteeker Melchior ja Oleviste mõistatus. Tallinn: Varrak, 2010, 310 lk. [2. trükk: 2011.]
Apteeker Melchior ja Rataskaevu viirastus. Tallinn: Varrak, 2010, 286 lk. [2. trükk: 2018.]
Apteeker Melchior ja timuka tütar. Tallinn: Varrak, 2011, 431 lk.
Apteeker Melchior ja Pirita kägistaja. Tallinn: Varrak, 2013, 404 lk. [2. trükk: 2015.]
Apteeker Melchior ja Tallinna kroonika. Tallinn: Varrak, 2014, 469 lk.
Apteeker Melchior ja Gotlandi kurat. Pärnamäe: Raudhammas, 2017, 558 lk.
Apteeker Melchior ja Pilaatuse evangeelium. Pärnamäe: Raudhammas, 2019, 467 lk.
Stories
Nad tulevad täna öösel. Tallinn: Kuldsulg, 2000, 293 lk. [Lühiromaan ja jutustused. Kordustrükk: 2002.]
Pan Grpowski üheksa juhtumit. Tallinn: Kuldsulg, 2001, 357 lk.
Hathawareti teener. Tartu: Fantaasia, 2002, 127 lk. [Lühiromaan ja jutustused.]
Roos ja lumekristall. Tartu: Fantaasia, 2006, 414 lk. [Lühiromaanid.]
Suudlevad vampiirid. 2011. Tartu: Fantaasia, 426 lk. [Kordustrükk: 2015.]
