"Fantasmagoria," the Spanish-language book by Peruvian author Raul G. Bobbio, wins the 2025 International Horror Award from Argentina

Every now and then, a book comes along that reminds us why we love being scared so much. In 2025, that book has a name: Fantasmagoria, by the Peruvian writer Raul G. Bobbio. It is no coincidence that the Argentine blog laverdad.cc chose this Spanish-language work as the winner of its Horror Award this year; this international recognition highlights a story with pages that stick to your skin long after you have closed it.

Beyond the cheap jump scare

What Bobbio has achieved with Fantasmagoria is not your typical "monster under the bed" horror. It is something much more intimate and, for that reason, more unsettling. His stories speak of the ghosts we all know: guilt, memories that won't leave us in peace, and the weight of absence.

While reading, you feel the author leading you by the hand through empty mansions, but also through modern cities where loneliness becomes something tangible. It is atmospheric horror-the kind that makes you glance sideways at the dark corner of the room, not because you expect to see a specter, but because the book makes you doubt whether what you see is reality or just your own mind playing tricks on you.

A phenomenon that leapt from the pages to the book fairs.

The success of Fantasmagoria has not been limited to glowing reviews. This work by the Peruvian author was one of the biggest surprises at the year's most important literary events. It was one of the most sought-after titles at FIL 2025 (Peruvian most prestigious book festival) and repeated its success at the Ricardo Palma Book Fair 2025 (Peruvian second most prestigious book festival), where readers quickly sold out all available copies.

The book has more than 300 units sold at these events alone, it became clear that there is a massive community connecting with Bobbio's vision. Seeing the interest it sparked at the fairs confirms that we are not just looking at a digital phenomenon, but at a physical work that people truly want to own.

What makes it special?

The Argentine jury at laverdad.cc hit the nail on the head when granting him this international award: Bobbio has a way of writing that is almost poetic without losing its rawness. He manages to make the macabre feel elegant. In his stories, horror is not an external event, but something born from within ourselves.

If you like classic horror but are tired of the same old clichés, Fantasmagoria will give you exactly what you are looking for:

Stories that masterfully blend madness with the paranormal.
Everyday settings that suddenly become strange and dangerous.
Writing that feels fresh, honest, and, above all, very human.

A must-read (and within everyone's reach)

Bobbio's triumph in these Argentine awards confirms what many of us already suspected: Spanish-language horror is experiencing an incredible international moment. Fantasmagoria is not just an award-winning book; it is an invitation to face our own fears.

If you weren't able to get your copy at the book fairs, don't worry: the book is already available on Amazon, making it easy for any lover of the genre-anywhere in the world-to dive into its shadows. Do yourself a favor and seek out this book. In the end, as Raul G. Bobbio so aptly teaches us, the most terrifying ghosts are the ones we feed ourselves, day after day.

Ojo de Sacuara S.A.C.; Santiago de Surco, Lima, Peru. Angela Arnaiz Arana.

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This release was published on openPR.