Latinx Rising: An Anthology of Latinx Science Fiction and Fantasy

"Matthew D. Goodwin has assembled a dynamic team of creative heavy-hitting intellects to tackle the provocative synthesis of Latino expressivity with Science Fiction and Fantasy literature. Enjoy and savor this collection of writers as they push and pull at the conventional tropes of style and content concerning magical realism, mythology and technology. The result is an incisive and entertaining book that not only challenges the intellect but expands the imagination." --Adilifu Nama, Loyola Marymount University, author
"if you have a teen who reads and studies Latino literature, this is a must-have. The diverse voices and writing styles represented help young readers to explore literature and introduce them to the limitless imaginations of writers. Best of all, it shows that the Latino experience can be expressed in any genre; there is no limit on authors and illustrators. And likewise, your child's culture goes with her no matter where her interests lie." --Monica Olivera, mommymaestra.com
"Latino writers of speculative fiction have grown increasingly visible in the fields of science fiction, fantasy, and horror. Now, for the first time, a representative cross-section of their work has been collected into a single volume: Latin@ Rising: An Anthology of Latin@ Science Fiction & Fantasy, released in January by Wings Press . . . . As a starting point for the serious exploration and study of speculative fiction as it flows from the pen of Latino writers, this volume has much to recommend it. It's also one hell of a ride." --David Bowles, McAllen Monitor
"Now Wings has made history by publishing the first-ever anthology of science fiction and fantasy by Latinos in America, Latin@ Rising. The 24 stories and poems in this nuanced and timely collection all seek to foreground brown voices . . . . It is certainly fair to call Latin@ Rising, a book that explores identity while delighting in dreams, a speculative success." --Roberto Ontiveros, Texas Observer
"The stories range in length from flash fiction to almost novelette length, plus a few poems and something akin to a photo-essay, so there's something for every attention span. The authors are male and female, straight and queer (various values thereof). There's science fiction and fantasy and magical realism and some stories that don't fit neatly into any one category. Many are rooted in our real world or variations of same, some take place farther afield. I highly recommend checking out Latin@ Rising. The variety of voices, all grounded in what is unique and shared about the Latin@ experience, is well worth listening to." --Anthony R. Cardno, anthonycardno.com
"Goodwin makes good on his promise to deliver a collection of thought-provoking works that challenge the expectation that Latin@ science fiction and fantasy writing doesn't stray far from Latin American magical realism. The genre's literary lineage is also American, influenced by such sci-fi writers as Isaac Asimov, Octavia Butler and Ursula K. LeGuin. The anthology is uniquely Latin@ in that its locations are expansive, taking place not only north of the border but in the Caribbean and Europe, engaging such issues as exile, identity, and migration but with innovative and futuristic premises." --Rigoberto Gonzalez, nbcnews.com
"Authors of Latino descent mix literary elements with science fiction and fantasy in this eloquent anthology of intimate pieces, with the speculative elements often serving as background, support, or mirror . . . . There is a feeling of melancholy to many of these pieces, and others, such as 'Monstro' by Junot Díaz and 'The Drain' by Alejandra Sanchez, can best be described as horror. Urban fantasy readers will particularly enjoy 'Red Feather and Bone' by Daniel José Older, a tie-in to his Bone Street Rumba series . . . . [A] solid anthology." --Publishers Weekly
"There's a decidedly east coast and Caribbean lurch to the settings and characters, but for the most part decidedly raza. Gente will see themselves in these stories. Characters have brown skin, speak some Spanish or as in Junot Diaz' story, get a hard time from friends for not speaking good Spanish, engage in word-play mixing languages. They have names like Mictan (not Mictlán but close), Jesús, Gordo (two of them, one in Ana Castillo's New Mexico-set story and Older's), and Paco. These are 'latina/o' stories as a result of character, setting, language, and writer. One thing the collection is not is an insider's fiction. It's highly accessible while providing intimate insights about the way these writers, and writers like these, see the world. For the most part, Latina/o Rising will keep any reader interested just because these are worthwhile, good stories." --Em Sedano, labloga.blogspot.com