Latin@ Rising An Anthology of Latin@ Science Fiction and Fantasy by Matthew David Goodwin and Frederick Luis Aldama, was disappointing. Many stories are uninteresting, even confusing. There are some stories that are wonderfully satisfying, but they are few and far between. Frankly, I thought a book full of Latino science fiction would be more interesting. That said, I think readers of sci fi, fiction or Latino literature, should consider this book anyway.
There are gems in this anthology,
like Room for Rent. It did exactly what I wanted it to do, transport me to a wild, new world - brilliant!
But The Road to Nyer was uninteresting. I wanted fantasy or sci fi, not
to walk around someone’s house learning what the family business used to be. There
were many stories that I had to endure, but I also enjoyed stories like Artificial.
It is a masterful harbinger of a techno-Latino future not too far away.
It has heart, a technological, futuristic element and a family in turmoil - I
loved it! Someone should buy the movie rights. Circular Photography is
confusing and boring. I read it twice - still confusing and boring. On the
other hand, The Drain was f***king great horror!
I have trouble
recommending this book at a price of $16.95
on Amazon. It’s not worth it, but It means you’ll miss the great futuristic
dystopian story, Lying Under the Texas Radar with Paco and Los Freetails.
I was looking for glimpses
of a Latino Star Trek, Planet
of the Apes or Hitchhikers Guide - I did not get that. However, it
was an opportunity to experience some really weird s**t, through Latin eyes. I
may not have liked many of the stories, but other readers might, which is why I
think the book deserves consideration. What does make this anthology so special,
is its wonderfully Latino point of view - something I’ve NEVER seen before.
Hablamos pronto,
Lucho
