Paradox on a page

Speculative fiction finds a bold new home

- By JOHANNES L. CHUA

In a country known for realist literature, social dramas, and poetic musings, speculative fiction has long been on the fringes as it quietly thrived in anthologies, literary events, and niche bookstores. But no longer.

A new literary imprint named Paradox, under Vibal Foundation, is putting the spotlight on speculative fiction. It’s giving space to the “multiverse of Filipino imagination” by changing the narrative one magical, mythical, or monstrous page at a time.

Speculative fiction encompasses fantasy, science fiction, horror, alternate histories, dystopian futures, and more. It is the genre that dares to ask, “What if?” What if magic exists in modern Manila, what if the apocalypse comes with a karaoke soundtrack, what if the past never ended?

The genre has thrived thanks to writers who believed in its power to enchant readers. Chief among them is Dean Francis Alfar, a Palanca-winning author and Filipino Critics Circle chair who has tirelessly pushed speculative fiction into the literary mainstream. He now leads the editorial team behind Paradox.