Archive of Unknown Universes •
Archive of Unknown Universes •
"Archive of Unknown Universes is a rare, unforgettable feast of a novel: a love letter, a lamentation, a wish… Ruben Reyes Jr. is an important writer of brave and tender imagination; we are lucky to live in his timeline." –Katie Gutierrez, bestselling author of More Than You'll Ever Know
A piercing debut novel following two families in alternative timelines of the Salvadoran civil war—a stunning exploration of the mechanisms of fate, the gravity of the past, and the endurance of love.
Cambridge, 2018. Ana and Luis’s relationship is on the rocks, despite their many similarities, including their mothers who both fled El Salvador during the war. In her search for answers, and against her best judgement, Ana uses The Defractor, an experimental device that allows users to peek into alternate versions of their lives. What she sees leads her and Luis on a quest through Havana and San Salvador to uncover the family histories they are desperate to know, eager to learn if what might have been could fix what is.
Havana, 1978. The Salvadoran war is brewing, and Neto, a young revolutionary with a knack for forging government papers, meets Rafael at a meeting for the People's Revolutionary Army. The two form an intense and forbidden love, shedding their fake names and revealing themselves to each other inside the covert world of their activism. When their work separates them, they begin to exchange weekly letters, but soon, as the devastating war rages on, forces beyond their control threaten to pull them apart forever.
Ruben Reyes Jr.’s debut novel is an epic, genre-bending journey through inverted worlds—one where war ends with a peace treaty, and one where it ends with a decisive victory by the Salvadoran government. What unfolds is a stunning story of displacement and belonging, of loss and love. It’s both a daring imagining of what might have been and a powerful reckoning of our past.
"Pay attention, world: Ruben Reyes Jr. has written a novel of deep conviction." –Crystal Hana Kim, author of The Stone Home
There is a Rio Grande in Heaven •
There is a Rio Grande in Heaven •
Finalist for The Story Prize and the Aspen Words Literary Prize • Longlisted for the PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction, the Carnegie Medal for Excellence, and the New American Voices Award
Here’s what some really smart people had to say about my book:
“Ruben Reyes Jr. pulls off what can only be described as an exquisite—and heartbreaking—magic trick… you find yourself in the hands of a terrifically talented storyteller.” — Washington Post
“This electrifying short-story collection about migration and reinvention is not to be missed.” — People
"Shot through with genuine pathos and astute social commentary." — Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"Haunting, tender, and profound." — Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
"An extraordinary debut of speculative fiction." — Booklist (starred review)
"The stories in this collection are playful, hilarious, queer, and delightfully speculative. " — Electric Literature
“This is one of the best books of any genre I’ve ever read. Every story is a hit — no skips.” — Them
"Ruben Reyes Jr. has announced himself here in impressive fashion. When you read There is a Rio Grande in Heaven, your mind will be sent in many thrilling directions, and it will be powerfully deepened." — Jamel Brinkley, author of Witness and A Lucky Man, finalist for the National Book Award
"These are stories to treasure and ponder, long after the last page has been turned." — Xochitl Gonzalez, New York Times bestselling author of Olga Dies Dreaming and Anita deMonte Laughs Last
“As stunning as it is surreal, There is a Rio Grande in Heaven bravely exposes the circuitry of our society––as well as its myths and lies––in ways that are jolting, jarring, and joyful.” — Mateo Askaripour, New York Times bestselling author of Black Buck and This Great Hemisphere
"Ruben Reyes Jr. has written Salvadorans into every single corner of the imagination. I have been waiting, dreaming of short stories like these…Fearless, imaginative, revolutionary." — Javier Zamora, New York Times bestselling author of Solito
"Ruben Reyes Jr. is a wonder." — Héctor Tobar, Pulitzer Prize winning author of Deep Down Dark and The Tattooed Soldier
“Ruben Reyes Jr. is one of the most imaginative writers I've read in some time. A collection of beautiful and healing stories…insightful and daring, full of heart and intelligence.” — Alejandro Varela, author of Town of Babylon, finalist for the National Book Award