The Fantasizer

Hernán Rivera Letelier

NOVEL. ALFAGUARA, 2006. 197 PAGES.

The inhabitants of a typical mining town (or ‘office’) in the salt desert of northern Chile (the natural habitat for this author) are about to face two important events that will change their lives forever: the definitive closing of the camp because there is no more salt, and the final soccer game of the season against the team from María Elena, the town that has been their perpetual rival. Only a miracle could help them win this transcendental soccer encounter. When El Fantasista appears on the town’s sweltering streets, everybody believes that their prayers have been answered.The man displays an amazing talent for jockeying the ball, leaving the townspeople awestruck. “The Messíah of the white ball has come.” He is a true ace with the ball, though he has never really played a soccer game. With this novel, Hernan Rivera Letelier returns to an imaginary man of the pampas to give us an wonderful novel in which his endearing characters put their lives on the line whenever pride, friendship, and courage are involved. But above all, they would sacrifice anything for love.

PUBLISHED BY: Spanish worldwide ALFAGUARA | Brazil ROCCO | Germany SUHRKAMP | France MÉTALIÉ 

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