(2021)

The Arbiter
a serialized ethno-cyberpunk novel

by Artrit Bytyçi

In a dystopian near future, free speech is a distant memory and all news is censored. Journalists live in exile in last remaining safe havens like Prishtinopolis from where they organize info-revolutions. They are hunted and eliminated by cybernetically enhanced agents called arbiters.

Follow one of these arbiters as he crosses the border as part of a covert mission. He must work blind, with his cybernetic implants turned off to avoid detection. But more importantly, he must not cause a diplomatic incident. The two neighboring countries are in a state of cold war caused by their opposing ideologies: techno-dictatorship and cyber-libertarianism.
This first episode of this serialized cyberpunk novel comes as a bilingual publication in both Albanian and English. But also, it is so much more — it is a hybrid between an artist’s book, a zine, a work of science fiction, a collection of essays, and a multimedia experiment.

As you read “The Arbiter,” you can enjoy the soundtrack that follows the literary text, especially composed by Liburn Jupolli. He describes his creative process in the featured essay “Composing for EthnoCyberPunk.” Other nonfiction by Artrit Bytyçi includes texts such as “Sci-Fi in Kosovo: Dystopias as a Utopian Project” and “A Printed Book in the Time of Cybernetic Reproduction.” The publication also features a Voice of America interview between Ilir Ikonomi and Flutura Kusari, which served as an initial inspiration for the story.

(2022)

Arnautistan Noir
story by Artrit Bytyçi
art by Ardi Shishko

In an alternate reality universe, the Ottoman Empire never fell but was transformed into a Confederation. After more than a century and a half, trouble is brewing in Arnautistan, one of its statelets.

Follow Detective Sami Kaleolli through the streets of Prizren, the capital of Arnautistan, as he meets a cast of captivating characters while investigating a case that just might be the thread to unravel a conspiracy that spans from the grimy alleys and all the way to aristocratic mansions.

The first episode of Arnautistan Noir, “It Always Starts with a Murder,” comes as two separate publications, one in English and the other one in Albanian. They may seem visually identical, but each of the different languages adds extra depth to their stories, as if they were happening in two parallel universes.

The publication also comes with bonus content, such as a poster with illustrations by Ardi Shishko, as well as essays by Artrit Bytyçi: “In Praise of Quixotic Play,” “Knowing Ourselves Through an Alternate Reality,” and “The Language of Arnautistan.” Each scene of the comic book is accompanied by a soundtrack specially composed by Liburn Jupolli.

(2023)

Atlas of Fantastical Realism
a collection of stories
by Artrit Bytyçi

Atlas of Fantastical Realism is a collection of short stories that explore Kosovo’s journey as a country through a lens of the fantastical, surreal, mythical, absurd, and, occasionally, humor and playfulness. State- and nation-building in the Balkans often fall into the realm of legends and myths rather than history and facts, and so, these kinds of stories attempt to reconcile the many disparaging narratives and realities one may encounter.

Each one of the stories is a separate literary experiment in what it means to be a young country, and through their playful nature, they not only explore utopias and dystopias but also try to find novel ways to ask the important questions about issues that face Kosovo.

Here you can read stories where hustlers are transformed into new heroes, a dust cloud gains consciousness, a broken mirror tries to put itself together through narration, a gambler plays poker with Santa Clause, a paranormal detective investigates a heist, an ethically dubious travel agent tries to upsell an already-expensive travel package, a squad of kids plays war games to make sense of the changing world, four characters journey through the apocalypse, a quirky professor escapes the war, a medieval priest investigates a suspected scandal, an emigrant meets a dead end, a group of backgammon-playing shopkeepers jousts in threats, and much more.

(2023)

This is a Mirror
by Likana Cana
editor-in-chief: Artrit Bytyçi

Likana Cana’s This is a Mirror is a collection of instructional poems that make use of the reader’s participation. They merge the playful with the philosophical, transform the artistic into the everyday, and encourage the reader to digest rather than consume.

This art book is inspired by the Fluxus movement, and focuses more on the creative process rather than the artwork itself. Yet, it is more than a mere homage to Yoko Ono’s Grapefruit — it is an investigation into different ways to better relate to ourselves, by providing a service of care and hope through art. Within these pages you will discover indirect ways to pay more attention to the world, yourself, and the people around you.