Yearender: Local (Short) Fiction

I'm taking a page from fuhrer's book-- or a post from his blog-- and coming up with a selection of a kind-of best local short fiction of the speculative kind. I'm not trying to be controversial here, considering I'm also a contributor to one or two of the anthologies mentioned. However, I would like to generate some debate on what were the readers' own choices on the matter.

So: this year had a bumper crop for the local speculative fiction front. Aside from the Philippine Speculative Fiction anthologies helmed by dean (now on its 2nd volume), there was also the introduction this year of the Digest of Philippine Genre Stories by editor extraordinaire kyu as well as Pinoy Amazing Adventures by carljoe. There were also various spec fic stories published here and there, including magazines like Story Philippines and Philippine Free Press (with Sarge Lacuesta now as its literary chief).

Of course there were a lot of great stories in the aforementioned. However, the ones I'll cite here were those stories that stuck to my mind after a long period of time. In other words, these were the ones that had quite an impact on me.

To wit, here's my top 3:

1. "Six from Downtown" by dean (Philippine Free Press/Philippine Speculative Fiction Vol. 2). I remember reading a comment on dean's blog about the ethics of an editor having a short story published in an anthology. The way I figure it, there is no doubt that dean's story belongs in PSFV2 because it's damn bloody good and shows that dean is very good in what he does. This is evident in his other stories like "The Middle Prince" (Digest of Philippine Genre Stories)-- which shows his in-depth knowledge of fairy-tales-- and "The Maiden and The Crocodile" (Story Philippines)-- which shows his adept writing skillz.

However, I thought dean's (kitchen sink) magical realism story tops his other contributions, showing snippets of six lives troubled by everday 'slings and arrows' but ironically blind to the magic around them. But not only the vignettes, even dean's throw-away lines have the effect of a sledgehammer against this reader's head. (Oww.) To conclude, dean's story had me at manananggal.

2. "Project Overmind" by Emil Flores (Pinoy Amazing Adventures). I've heard a lot about Prof. Flores of the University of the Philippines, supposedly one of the few literary writers today who actually writes genre and spec fic stories. In fact, if there's one thing I regret in life, it's not being able to attend an elective class of his on science-fiction and fantasy (even though I've already graduated by then). So given such evidence based on reputation only, I can quite understand (and admire) his love for the genre in his contribution to PAA.

Flores' story is actually quite funny, partaking of elements of pulp fiction as well as local folklore and history. In this case, a Nazi mind experiment with ties to the country's Japanese overlords during World War 2 is still alive and well in the wilds of Mount Banahaw. Also included are sassy female characters, a funny sidekick, lotsa martial arts and an investigator who can out-think Robert Langdon and at the same time kick his sorry ass. What's not to like about this story?

3. "Gunsaddled" by Alex Osias (Philippine Speculative Fiction Vol. 2) Osias' story is quite fascinating for me as this is the first time I've read a story that actually harkens back to the days of the Philippine western. Remember Lito Lapid and his whip? Or Fernando Poe, Jr. with his quick-draw six-gun? I knew you would.

After all, what do you make of characters bearing rifles, pistols and swords while mounted on tamaraws, all the while hunting for metaphyical dragons? Aside from being reminiscent of western and science-fiction (it's set on a not-quite futuristic world that may or may not be the Philippines), the other aspects of the story remind me that this may be science-fantasy/weird fantasy that's hard to categorize. And the dragon-- a nightmare that's almost god-like in its aspect-- is one of the best I've read in both fantasy and SF, bar none.