The Andalusian writer David Uclés was awarded the 82nd Nadal Prize on January 6th for his novel ‘La ciudad de las luces muertas’. The prize, accompanied by 30,000 euros, places Uclés among authors such as Carmen Laforeto, Carmen Posadas, Juan José Millás, Carmen Martín Gaite, or Emilia Pardo Barzán, among others.
The work, set in a Barcelona plunged into darkness, brings together literary and historical figures such as Ana María Matute, Carmen Laforet, Roberto Bolaño, Freddie Mercury, and Mercè Rodoreda, in a crossing of times and spaces where the characters seek to return light to the 'extinguished' city.
Submitted for the award under the provisional title ‘Another Summer Day Roars’ and with the pseudonym Oriol Arce, the novel reflects Uclés' fascination with the Catalan city. The author explained during the award ceremony that the idea arose five years ago and that he spent half a year in Barcelona to research the work, which he defines as "a love letter to this city".
The jury, composed of Víctor del Árbol, Juan Luis Arsuaga, Inés Martín Rodrigo, Care Santos, and editor Emili Rosales, highlighted of Uclés that he is "a unique author who reminds us that light returns when someone dares to imagine it".
Uclés, born in Úbeda in 1990, is the author of the novels ‘Emilio y Octubre’ and ‘El llanto del león’, winner of the 2019 Complutense Literary Award, but it was his work ‘La península de las casas vacías’ that established him as an editorial phenomenon, with numerous national and international awards
The 2026 Nadal Prize received a total of 1,207 submissions, reflecting great literary diversity and a high level of craftsmanship in the texts presented. The Destino publishing house, which organizes the award, will publish the novel on February 4.