Ben Francisco

Such a great collection of stories!

Favorite Short SF from 2025 Continuing my roundup of excellent science fiction, fantasy, and horror from 2025, here are some of my favorite short stories and collections published last year. (For my favorite novels and novell…

Big thanks to @benfrancisco.bsky.social for including MONUMENTS IN DARKNESS in his "Favorite Short Story Collections from 2025" roundup, calling it "an excellent collection of horror, dark fantasy, and weird fiction from a master of the genre." You can read the rest of the review at the link!

When Your Ex-Husband Lies Dying and Only You Can Get Him the Magic Elixir from the Bodega March sweeps in with a wonderful quartet of stories as The Sunday Morning Transport brings tales by Ben Francisco, V.M. Ayala

The Sunday Morning Transport makes one more trip today with a story from Ben Francisco (@benfrancisco.bsky.social) that examines what really might be in the back room of your local bodega - and what it might cost. Free for everyone to read!

Ah thank you, Meg! ☺️

When Your Ex-Husband Lies Dying and Only You Can Get Him the Magic Elixir from the Bodega March sweeps in with a wonderful quartet of stories as The Sunday Morning Transport brings tales by Ben Francisco, V.M. Ayala

I have a new story up at @morningtransport.bsky.social! Recommended for fans of magical bodegas, complicated ex-husbands, and second-person narration!

www.sundaymorningtransport.com/p/when-your-...

Favorite Short SF from 2025 Continuing my roundup of excellent science fiction, fantasy, and horror from 2025, here are some of my favorite short stories and collections published last year. (For my favorite novels and novell…

My round-up of some of my favorite SF short stories & collections from 2025, including brilliant work by @danielbraum.bsky.social @nicholaskaufmann.bsky.social @thomasha.bsky.social @angelaliu.bsky.social @kjy1066.bsky.social @daviddlevine.com @aimeeogdenwrites.com!

benfrancisco.net/2026/02/26/f...

Photo of a Brooklyn Bodega with a multitude of signs advertising Deli, grocery, lotto, open 24 hours.

If you've ever thought bodegaa were magical...

I have a story coming for you this Sunday on @morningtransport.bsky.social.

So honored that Disgraced Return of the Kap's Needle was featured in Ben's favorite SF from 2025 alongside authors that are my inspiration! 🖤

Favorite Speculative Fiction Books from 2025 The year 2025 was a rough one in so many ways, but one good thing about it was lots of great new releases of science fiction, fantasy, and horror. With nominations underway for the Hugo Awards (and…

Some of my favorite SF from 2025! Including some brilliant novels and novellas by @willalex.bsky.social @matthewkressel.net @nnedi.bsky.social @renanbernardo.com, Sarah Langan, @annaleen.bsky.social @victorpineiro.bsky.social and more!

benfrancisco.net/2026/02/14/f...

What an amazing list of Boricua speculative reading. Thank you Ben for highlighting so many wonderful works, including mine ❤️

There's SO much great Puerto Rican SF out there, this is just the tip of the iceberg! Please feel free to chime in on this thread with your own favorites and recommendations!

Latinx Rising: An Anthology of Latinx Science Fiction and Fantasy An Anthology of Latinx Science Fiction and Fantasy

Latinx Rising is a wonderful, diverse anthology of Latinx speculative fiction, including several brilliant Puerto Rican authors like Daniel Jose Older and Giannina Braschi, and even includes a photo narrative of Boricuas on the moon!

bookshop.org/p/books/lati...

Brincando Charcos (Jumping Puddles) “Dónde estámos?” Mateo asks, wiping the wetness out of his hair. We’re both sopping wet. Charcos may get you there fast, but it’s not the cleanest way to travel.

My own story, "Brincando Charcos" literalizes the Puerto Rican metaphor of "jumping the puddle" (for crossing from island to mainland). Two young men jump through puddles like portals - but their growing love is overshadowed by the "men in blue" pursuing them.

strangehorizons.com/wordpress/fi...

Crave - Nightmare Magazine Taina crawls underneath the shack to unearth her wooden cigar box. She opens it and places the items in front of her: a piece of leftover mundillo lace from an unfinished handkerchief, an ivory ribbon...

"Crave" by @lilliamr.bsky.social is an evocative horror story that draws on imagery of mundillo (a Puerto Rican lace-making tradition) to tell the story of La Caridad, a witch who demands great sacrifices - particularly of the town's women and girls.

www.nightmare-magazine.com/fiction/crave/

Wepa! Your work has given me so much Boricua joy! (And maybe one or two nightmares lol.)

Up In the Hills, She Dreams of Her Daughter Deep In the Ground Up in the hills, where the green shadows grow long, and far from all the student protests in San Juan, Gloria and her husband, Pedro, lived in a tiny house. An almost perfect square of concrete in …

"Up in the Hills, She Dreams of Her Daughter Deep in the Ground" by @kjy1066.bsky.social is a powerful, haunting short story that draws on surrealist metaphors to grapple with patriarchy and the disturbing history of forced sterilization of women in Puerto Rico.
strangehorizons.com/fiction/up-i...

House of Bone and Rain by @gabino.bsky.social is a haunting crime novel taking place in PR, dealing with the harsh realities of hurricanes, colonialism, violence, and hauntings. Iglesias is the master of crime stories with supernatural elements that play on deeper themes - I recommend all his work!

United States of Banana Check out United States of Banana - <p>Giannina Braschi explores the cultural and political journey of nearly 50 million Hispanic Americans living in the United States in this explosive new work of fi...

United States of Banana by Giannina Braschi is a wonderfully gonzo, impossible-to-classify novel that deals with post-9/11 fear mongering and the complex colonial status of Puerto Rico, and includes Hamlet and Zarathustra as characters.
bookshop.org/p/books/unit...

This has gotten more attention than I'd expected, so I'm adding a few more recs to this thread of amazing Puerto Rican SF, including some short fiction!

Will see if I can gather a few for my next thread of recs! Wepa.

Yaaaas we do!

Such a great book!

They Both Die at the End Check out They Both Die at the End - <p><strong>Adam Silvera reminds us that there&#8217;s no life without death and no love without loss in this devastating yet uplifting story about two people whose...

They Both Die At the End by @adamsilvera.bsky.social is a YA SF classic of queer love in the face of pending tragedy.

bookshop.org/p/books/they...

Undead Girl Gang Check out Undead Girl Gang - <b>"A fun, fast read . . . it will resonate with readers who dabble in any sort of arts, dark or otherwise." --NPR.org<br><br>"With a singular and hilariously cutting teen...

Undead Girl Gang by Lily Anderson is a fun young adult fantasy featuring zombies, witches, and murder mystery amidst teenage woes of dating, loss, and friendship.
bookshop.org/p/books/unde...

Dealing in Dreams Check out Dealing in Dreams - <b>&ldquo;A novel exploration of societal roles, gender, and equality.&rdquo; &#8212;<i>School Library Journal </i>(starred review)</b><BR> <BR><b><i>The Outsiders</i> me...

Dealing in Dreams by @lilliamr.bsky.social is a brilliant post-apocalyptic young adult novel. Shades of Mad Max but dealing with deeper themes of gender, violence, and self-discovery.

bookshop.org/p/books/deal...

Val Vega: Secret Ambassador of Earth Secret Ambassador of Earth

My own Val Vega: Secret Ambassador of Earth is a YA space opera about a Boricua teenager who has to step up as ambassador of Earth - which means helping bring peace to a planet of telepaths grappling with a history of colonialism that parallels PR's own history.

bookshop.org/p/books/val-...

Andújar: The Robot Gentleman of San Juan Check out Andújar: The Robot Gentleman of San Juan on Bookshop.org US!

Andujar: The Robot Gentleman of San Juan by @tropicaleccentric.bsky.social is a steampunk tale of robots, romance, and intrigue set in San Juan amidst the Spanish-American War more than a century ago.

bookshop.org/p/books/and-...

The Island of Forgotten Gods Check out The Island of Forgotten Gods - <p><strong>2026 Pura Belpré Children's Author Honor Award</strong></p><p><strong>From the author of <em>Time Villains</em> comes a new fantastical adventure ab...

The Island of Forgotten Gods by @victorpineiro.bsky.social is a wonderful MG fantasy that draws on Boricua mythology ranging from the chupacabra to ancient Taino gods. Grapples with PR's legacy of colonialism and endless disasters of recent years - but still hopeful.

bookshop.org/p/books/the-...

Sordidez Check out Sordidez - <p>Vero has always felt at odds with his community. As a trans man in near-future Puerto Rico, he struggles to gain acceptance for his identity and his vision of an inclusive soci...

Sordidez by @boriscrito.bsky.social is a climate dystopia in which PR has been decimated by yet another hurricane, abandoned by the U.S., and colonized by China. Thought-provoking, beautifully written story with queer and trans rep.
bookshop.org/p/books/sord...

If Bad Bunny's inspiring half-time show left you craving some great #SpeculativeFiction that's deeply rooted in Puerto Rico and the Puerto Rican Diaspora, I have some recommendations for you!