Armor by John Bengan

Terror, longing, and defiance recur in these thirteen stories about people trying “to live happily every so often” despite the prevalence of summary executions, the megalomania of a once and future strongman, and the indifference of witnesses. In one story, a Death Squad recruit goes on his first day on the job. In another, a drug user joins a Miss Gay beauty pageant perhaps for the last time. Meanwhile, a vigilante mayor disguised as a taxi driver prowls the city at night.

Finalist - Award for Best Book of Short Fiction in English, National Book Awards 2024

Published by Ateneo de Manila University Press