After Lambana (Book Review)

In diwata high! 

I feel like I am still in between the real and the magical and haven't quite emerged from it just yet. 

You see, after seeing Eliza Victoria's early promotions for After Lambana a few years ago, I patiently waited for its release---especially since I read her Fairy Tales around that same time. It is a short story that Ms. Eliza contributed to Daily Science Fiction, an online magazine. You can read the short by opening this link.

Going back, I won't spill any spoiler and will just exclaim that it's worth the wait! Ugh. Okay, fine, I'll provide a summary to give you an idea. After Lambana is a speculative fiction about a Philippine society where magical and nonmagical beings coexist---the former being discriminated against by anti-magic laws imposed by humans.

Featuring: Diwata, sirena, magical spontaneous diseases, and all-around badassery!

I was stoked when I first thought After Lambana was going to be a novel and was ecstatic when I found out that Ms. Eliza collaborated with Mervin Malonzo, the creator of the comic book series Tabi Po and one of my favorites in the Philippine komiks scene. It was such an amazing team up that I couldn't help but squeal in excitement every time they posted an update.

They launched the graphic novel in this year's Komikon, and pauper me wasn't able to go again. So instead, I ordered online via Visprint and resigned myself with an unsigned copy. *Sob

As always, Ms. Eliza's story line is brilliantly told. I am once again transported to this world she created and am left floating even after flipping the last page. Wooh. I also love Mr. Mervin's vibrant colors for this project. It is different from Tabi Po's dreamlike, almost nostalgic vibe but still emanates the lines and style that are uniquely Mervin Malonzo.

As you well know, I seldom write book reviews, so I don't really know how to end this. Heh. All right, I'll just paste the online order info and preview link that Ms. Eliza provided in her Facebook page:

E-mail bookorders@visprint.net.FREE DELIVERY NATIONWIDE (Philippines only) until December 15.
AFTER LAMBANA
Graphic Novel
Published by Visprint, November 2016
Story & Words by Eliza Victoria
Art & Book Design by Mervin Malonzo
PhP 500
Read the first 50 pages: http://salimbalcomics.com/chapter/after-lambana-preview
Visprint, our publisher, will handle book orders and delivery, so best to direct all questions and concerns to their Facebook page or their e-mail.

Post script:

This contains a little spoiler, so forgive me. Heh. Rose, the spontaneous disease in After Lambana, is strangely reminiscent of Terrorium's flora invasion. XD

Note:

Terrorium is one of the stories found in Beyond, a creative collaboration featuring Manix Abrera, Mervin Malonzo x Adam David, and Harvey Tolibao.

Of Memory and Apathy

The amazing and sad thing about Filipinos is we forget easily. It might have been a form survival mechanism, but it's detrimental to our awareness and progress as a nation.
One good propaganda is enough to misdirect the masses, worse brainwash them. Just look at how we continually elect criminals to public offices. Look at how we glorify and idolize them.
And what of our apathy? It's frustrating and disturbing how some would dismiss the blatant evidences, exposing murder and human rights violations for what they believe as "economic progress." I know this is too idealistic to some, but no fucking infrastructure or economic improvement is enough reason to take human lives.

The Invisible Battle for Normalcy

So this quote from Albert Camus popped up on my Facebook feed:

"Nobody realizes that some people expend tremendous energy merely to be normal."

And I thought nah, there are a few who realize it. They just choose to ignore the silent battle raging in front of them. Because if they acknowledged it, what then? They couldn't do a damn thing anyway. The spectacle of this struggle for the "normalcy" that society imposes embarrasses them. So instead of asking about your emotional and psychological state, they just respond to your overly enthusiastic smile with a bright hello, followed by an excruciating small talk.

Baybayin: Isang Pagpaniwalag

Mga kaibigan,

Nais ko lamang ibahagi itong mumunting karunungan:
Ang tawag po sa ating pre-Filipino writing ay Baybayin, hindi Alibata.
Alam kong ang karamihan ay tinatawag itong Alibata -- isa rin ako sa mga taong iyon noon. Hindi maiiwasan na talagang may mga maling impormasyon tayong masasagap. Pero pakiusap, ngayong alam nyo na, wag nyo nang gamitin ang nasabing misnomer. Lalong-lalo na pag nakikipag-usap kayo sa'kin. :)

Kapag nais pa ninyo ng dagdag na kaalaman, basahin ang sumusunod. Ito ay isang screenshot ng About page ng baybayin.com, ang website ng isang kilalang tagataguyod nga baybayin sa Amerika at pati na rin dito sa Pilipinas. Ang website na ito ay isang mainam na simula kung nais ninyong makipagsapalaran tungo sa importanteng bahagi ng ating kasaysayan at kultura. 🐥

Para sa Minamahal Kong Pagong

Aking bitwin
Mga ngiting dala'y hangin
Init ng pangungulila'y pawiin

Wag mag atubiling suyuin
Itong pusong nabibitin

Halina't hagkan aking damdamin
At nawa'y iyong dinggin
Mga tulang ginugunita ang 'yong ningning

Mga Hinaing at Pagsusumamo

Nais kong makita
Ang kislap ng iyong mga mata.
Ako'y nangungulila
Sa iyong mga tawa.
Nakikinig ka ba
Sa aking pagsinta?
Nawa'y ako'y iyong magunita
Sa tuwing mabasa itong tula

Pagka-inip at Kamatayan

Buhay.

Ano ang silbi ng buhay
Kung ang aking pagkatao'y
Binabalot ng dilim at ginaw?
Ang aking puso ay lumulutang
Sa walang hanggang kawalan.

Kawalan.

Walang laman ang aking kalooban.
Ako ay naglalakad patungo
Sa isang kinabukasang walang saysay.

Naglalakad. Naghihintay.

Sa kamatayan na magpapalaya
Sa aking nagliliyab ng pighati.