LATIN AMERICA

   Although deeply influenced by US-UK sf, modern sf in Latin America is also affected by the fantastic traditions of Indian and colonial times, and in some instances by a conscious decision to depart from English-speaking traditions. "Anglo-Saxon sf explores in one way: the wayin which Anglo-Saxons think and feel," writes Argentinian critic and author Claudio Omar Noguerol. "Latin-American sf explores as only a person immersed in the turbulence of Latin America can do it."Since the continent produces very little technology and scientific research but is a consumer (and sometimes victim) of technological advance, its sf has stressed thesocial, economic and political costs of progress. In that respect, Latin-American sf has paralleled the NEW-WAVE movement of the 1960s in theUS and UK, with the added advantage (albeit dubious) of not being restricted by the market pressures of pulp publishing: in most Latin-American countries publishers have yet to exploit the commercialpotential of sf. Sf as a literary pursuit is more notable than in countries where mass-marketability is a requisite. Sf novels are relatively scarce; sf is more often than not in the form of short fiction and, frequently, POETRY. Its authors are commonly social scientists or professional writers, only a very few coming from the ranks of the hard sciences.Latin-American sf is also very close to the political turmoil that surrounds it, and has frequently been the only available channel for social criticism when and where military dictatorships have been in control. Therefore, although there is a certain overall Latin-American identity, it is not always easy to generalize. Argentina, Cuba and Mexico, for instance, have such widely different histories, geographies, political systems and inhabitants that sometimes the Spanish language (and some universal aspirations) are the only common ground shared by their literature; in the case of Portuguese-speaking Brazil there is also the language barrier. Unfortunately, US and UK market conditions have made it almost impossible for Spanish- or Portuguese-language sf writers to publish in those countries.ArgentinaUnder the influence of such writers of the fantastic as Macedonio Fernandez (1874-1952), the Uruguayan-born Horacio Quiroga (1878-1937), Roberto Arlt (1900-1942) and Leopoldo Lugones(1874-1938) - as well as the undefinable work of Jorge Luis BORGES, which often borders on unconventional sf - and of sf precursors such as E.L. Holmberg (1852-1937), author of Viaje maravilloso del senor Nic Nac ("TheWonderful Voyage of Mr Nic Nac") (1875), the magazine Mas alla ("Beyond") (1953-7) published 48 issues featuring the work of the first modern generation of sf writers in the country. The second generation - heralded by the short-lived magazine Revista de ciencia ficcion y fantasia("Magazine of Science Fiction and Fantasy") (1977)-arrived in the 1970s and 1980s and has been especially interested in social issues as well as language; sf's rebirth was in part due to the downfall of the military regime. This allowed the creation of the Circulo Argentino de Ciencia Ficcion y Fantasia ("Argentinian Circle of Science Fiction and Fantasy")and the publishing of several FANZINES (Unicornia azul, Nuevomundo, Clepsidra and Sinergia, among others, plus Axxon, published in disketteform) as well as professional magazines, like Parsec and Minotauro, and scores of books. Argentina hosts the annual South-American sf and fantasy convention, Consur.Among the best known Argentinian authors are Borges, Adolfo BIOY CASARES and Angelica Gorodischer (1929-), whose 2-vol KalpaImperial ("Imperial Kalpa") (coll vol 1 1983, vol 2 1984) is one of the best stylistic examples of modern Latin-American sf, though she sometimes veers towards pure fantasy. Other books by her are Opus dos ("Opus Two") (coll 1967), Bajo las jubeas en flor ("Under the Flowering Jubeas") (coll1973) and Casta luna electronica ("Chaste Electric Moon") (coll 1977). The work of Eduardo Goligorski (1931-), author of A la sombra de los barbaros("Under the Shadow of the Barbarians") (coll 1977), is closer to conventional sf. He became one of the few Latin-American writers to publish in FSF - with "When the Birds Die" (1967)-and edited the most representative 1960s Argentinian sf anthology, Los argentinos en la Luna("Argentinians on the Moon") (anth 1968). Other writers include: Carlos Gardini, author of Mi cerebro animal ("My Animal Brain") (1983) andSinfonia cero ("Zero Symphony") (1984); Magdalena Moujan Otano; Emilio Rodrigue, author of Plenipotencia ("Full Powers") (coll 1967); Alberto Vanasco (1925-), who collaborated with Goligorski in Memorias del futuro("Memories of the Future") (anth 1966) and Adios al manana ("Goodbye to Tomorrow") (anth 1966); Daniel Barbieri (1951-), author of Domun (1991); Spanish-born Marcial Souto (1947-), author of Para bajar a un pozo de estrellas ("To Go Down a Well of Stars") (coll 1985); and Sergio Gaut vel Hartman (1947-), author of Cuerpos descartables ("Disposable Bodies")(coll 1985).CubaSf in Cuba originated in the poetry of Oscar Hurtado (1919-1977), as in La ciudad muerta de Korad ("The Dead City of Korad") (1964), and the stories and novels of Angel Arango (1926-), which include (?A donde van los cefalomos? ("Where do the Cephalhoms Go?") (coll 1964), El planeta negro ("The Black Planet") (coll 1966), Robotomaquia("Robotomachy") (coll 1967), El arco iris del mono ("The Monkey's Rainbow") (coll 1980), Transparencia ("Transparency") (coll 1982) and Coyuntura ("Juncture") (coll 1984). Cuban sf has been influenced both by Caribbean magical traditions and by Soviet sf-there were no real precedents for Cuban sf before the 1959 revolution. Although no specialized Cuban sf magazines exist, sf stories were well received in most periodical publications and dozens of titles were published every year until, in 1990, Cuban publishing began to suffer severe problems owing to lack of paper.Cuban sf began to find its own identity through the work of Arango and of Miguel Collazo (1936-), author of El libro fantastico de Oaj ("The Fantastic Book of Oaj") (1966), El viaje ("The Journey") (1968), Onoloria and El arco de Belen ("The Arch of Bethlehem").It has a strongly political trend but also, less expectedly, purely fantastic and clearly erotic traits, best exemplified by the work of Daina Chaviano (1957-), first winner in the sf category (established 1979) ofthe national literary award, the David, with her short-story collection Los mundos que amo ("The Worlds I Love") (coll 1980). Her other books todate are Amoroso planeta ("Loving Planet") (coll 1983), Historias de hadas para adultos ("Fairytales for Adults") (coll 1986), Cuentos de una abuela extraterrestre ("Stories from an Extraterrestrial Grandmother") (1988) and El abrevadero de los dinosaurios ("The Waterhole of the Dinosaurs") (coll1990). Other Cuban sf writers to be noted are: Gregorio Ortega (1926-), author of Kappa !!!!