Project Regional

J2013… Crown of Earth’s Desire

Title: Crown of Earth’s Desire
Author: Terry Ho
Year: 2012
Publisher: Renaissance Publishing
Date Read: 12th May 2013

“One must always hope. For without it, we are nothing.” - Queen Shara

When we look at the histories of other countries, some of us get envious - Ancient China with its colourful dynasties, Old England and its wars, the Celtics, Viking, Egyptians, old civilisations, you get the lot. However, unknown or lesser known to many of us, Singapore has a history stretching beyond the likes of Raffles’s Landing.

Crown of Earth’s Desire is the first instalment of The Forbidden Hill Chronicles, an intriguing, parallel portrayal of what I would probably call Ancient(-ish) Singapore, especially with Bukit Larangan, or where we call Fort Canning Hill today.

Our story starts with Keith Anderson, an American post-graduate student from Yale with Singaporean roots, returning to Singapore for his thesis. He is later joined by Vijay and Poh Chung, fellow Yalies, Anna, another post-grad student in Singapore, as they get thrown into a parallel universe in an attempt to save another friend, Keith’s initial crush, Clarissa Lee.

As appreciated in any fantasy novel, Terry’s world-building skills are impeccable. His descriptions of the villages, palaces, the undersea worlds, and even the darkest depths of the haunted forest are vivid, vibrant, and can be imprinted in your head. I especially love how he managed to bring the markets and villages of Camapura to life, together with the undersea world later on.

What I particularly liked was how Terry manages to weave three different journeys (Keith, Vijay, and Anna) into a complete, whole story. The momentum of their journeys through Turasik are well-paced and spaced apart enough to make it relatively easy to follow despite the vast differences in settings.

However, a few things did irk me a little.

Dialogue is a very important aspect for me, and it did set me off in a few places. Generally, I would give the story a bit of leeway since Keith’s background is primarily American (as the language will show). However, if Borfan (one of the characters in Turasik) declares the death threats only at Page 162, it does question the gravity of his mission to him.

Also, the prologue and end of the last chapter were interlinked, but there seemed to be minimal link to the main story. Clarissa’s disappearance also seemed to be really abrupt and dusted out of the story later on.

Despite all that, the ending did make me want to continue with its next volume. The novel was concluded well enough to wrap up the first instalment as an independent story, but left enough to the imagination for you to want to continue.

To find out more about The Forbidden Hill Chronicles, click here.

~ Joelyn Alexandra

I2013… Ten Sticks and One Rice

Title: 10 Sticks, 1 Rice
Author: Oh Yong Hwee, Koh Hong Teng
Year: 2012
Publisher: Epigram Books
Date Read: 23rd April 2013

“While we might not have been born on the same day… let us hope that it may at least be the same day that we will - ” - Shifu (Mr Lee)

In conjunction with Free Comic Book Day (first Saturday of every May), I’ve decided to take a look at one of Singapore’s own graphic novels.

Ten Sticks and One Rice looks at the story of Hock Seng, an illegal satay seller who is often on the watch for the authorities, battling Stage 4 Cancer, and at the same time, a veteran in a local triad. Upon hearing the news of the death of an elder, Hock Seng’s story is played out as he organises the funeral.

Growing up, the terms “secret society” or “triad” were generally associated with violence, ignorant good-for-nothings. However, Ten Sticks and One Rice tells a sincere tale on the realities and virtues of the triad. The theme of Brotherhood is prominent through Hock Seng’s past (told via flashback or recounted by another party) - one of the basic foundations which secret societies are built on.

Touching on a subject one does not commonly see in Singaporean culture, the coarse language and scene progressions in the novel makes the story very real. The constant use of Hokkien and Hokkien swear words may seem rather unappealing at first, but it also shows how sincere and genuine the story really is.

Hock Seng’s struggles with himself, his triad, and his family takes a different stand from what we have been educated to believe secret societies generally are. Instead of a ruffian, we can see a hardworking man who probably took a different choice in life - someone we may know in our families or growing up.

At the end of it, I look at Ten Sticks and One Rice as a story speaking of the changing priorities through the generations (where people would order satay sticks by the hundreds for big families, now just whittled to ten sticks), juxtaposed with the theme of family and brotherhood, prominent in the triads, and the man struggling to continue standing by them in our present environment.

For more information on Ten Sticks and One Rice, click here.

~ Joelyn Alexandra

H2013… Gone Case, Graphic Novel #2

Title: Gone Case, a Graphic Novel Book 2
Author: Dave Chua
Year: 2010
Publisher: Self-Published
Date Read: 6th April 2013

“It had so many precious bits of her in it, it felt like she was still alive. It would be a pity to throw it all away…” - Yong

So we’ve gone from book 1 to book 2.

Despite it being a continuation of Book #1, Book #2 manages to find the balance between having itself as a standalone, as well as a sequel. As Book #1 speaks about the changes going on in Yong’s (the protagonist) world, Book #2 focusses on him as he grows and learns to cope with these changes.

Now faced with new responsibilities in school and at home, Yong has to go through with them, with social consequence. His struggle between doing what is right and doing what his social circle expects him to carries on through the art.This time, Yong’s story intertwines with his friend, Liang, their stories juxtaposed with their different backgrounds.

With a directionless sister and a mother who could not seem to care less, Liang’s happy-go-lucky self turns into a full-out rebel as he finds Yong becoming “stuck-up” due to added responsibilities. This is where we catch a glimpse on the issues that affect the people in Yong’s life, instead of just himself or his family.

This also brings about reminders of an old Chinese song - 家家有本难念的经 - every household has its problems. And it’s especially enhanced here, we can see the problems, but it’s up to each household to go through with it.

Like Book #1, Koh Hong Teng employs repetitive scenery (same scene different activity) to show the characters in their stage of ponder (and possibly, encourage the reader to ponder as well).

You will see Yong’s innocence and maturity as the story goes along, attracting the questions - When do we move on with life? And when do we look at the past? Do we let it hold on to us?

And like the ending to Avenue Q, everything will go on for now, which is effectively how life goes on despite whatever happens to each individual.

Though one thing is clear about this story - We are who we believe ourselves to be. If we succumb to societal pressure on our identity, believing ourselves to be “gone cases” will be as they say so.

~ Joelyn Alexandra

G2013… Gone Case, Graphic Novel #1

Title: Gone Case, a Graphic Novel Book 1
Author: Dave Chua
Year: 2010
Publisher: Self-Published
Date Read: 6th April 2013

“You can make your own destiny. Good or bad, it’s up to you.” - Ah Low

Gone Case, in an older form, was a novel by Dave Chua. This was until artist Koh Hong Teng, editor Joyce Sim, and Dave himself worked together to transform into a two-part Graphic Novel.

In a metropolitan state like Singapore, inter-connected, it is easy to forget how reality is for the individual. We see the advancements and think - how good must Singaporeans have it.

Gone Case captures the life of an average, HDB-living, 12-year-old Singaporean boy, Yong. Yong deals with issues like family squabbles, peer pressure, the struggle between social & school acceptance and doing the right thing, examinations, and death, among other things. Now that the novel has been transformed to Graphic Novel form, a few things have been enhanced.

Firstly, the black and white gives an apt, somber feel to the story, emphasising the gravity of day-to-day living to many people in modern society. 

Secondly, repetitive scenery and frames also provide the much needed pause for ponder - like looking at the world with your own eyes (how “easy” people might have it, or how great it would be if your life was like so). 

Thirdly, I appreciate the fuss-free art in each panel. Not only does it focus on the essential aspects of the story, but it also brings out Yong’s family situation - they are dealing with the fundamentals of life, though Yong wishes to look beyond that, reality does not allow him to look that much further as yet.

One of the great things about this graphic novel is also the reality of it - it has that tragic plot that makes you feel for the protagonist, but at the same time, it continues with the reality of things, rather than the convenient, miraculous, sudden salvation which can turn many people off.

You know how we cannot stand it when parents nag at us repeatedly (“Do you know how lucky you are?! Other children don’t have this and that etc…!”), Dave takes that and ends up turning it into a story we look into and end up having a personal stake in it.

Gone Case: A Graphic Novel can be found in local bookstores. To find out more, click here.

~ Joelyn Alexandra

F2013… Transparent Strangers

Title: Transparent Strangers
Author: Loh Guan Liang
Year: 2012
Publisher: Math Paper Press
Date Read: 24th March 2013

“Pick me, for I am hope,/ serial numbered and barcoded/ for your finger’s fancy.” - Big Sweep

Singapore, if anything, can be described in one word: Diverse.

Diverse in food, diverse in people, diverse in cultures, what have yous. In fact, we’re so diverse it can sometimes feel like to be Singaporean is to be rojak, mixed. Regardless, we are still trying to crack the nut into what makes the Singaporean one.

Guan Liang’s collection of poems, so titled, “Transparent Strangers”, may just provide you with a glimpse of Singaporean life.

In its imagery, Guan Liang’s poems does not only show you the lesser-known, pretty much hidden nooks of Singapore, but it also triggers the thought - do we really know what life in Singapore really is like?

In the 70-odd page collection, he touches on various topics:

• To (A)Pology: The functional/ mechanical image of Singapore.
• Musical Chairs: Sightings and dilemmas on our Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) network.
• Places That Matter: Commemorating the dead in the world of the living - the niches that were put up to make way for development.
• Walpurgisnacht in September: Mythology of the Mid-Autumn festival.
• Big Sweep: Lesser-known sightings and hidden people in Singapore.

So regardless on your perspective of Singaporean life, the chances of you being able to relate to at least one of the poems in this collection are rather high. Guan Liang’s poems hit not only the issues that attack in the field, but also the fantastical elements of our imagination.

Big Sweep is my personal favourite, mostly because of the relatability of the subject - as you walk around the neighbourhoods, sightings mentioned in this poem will leave an impression on you.

Guan Liang’s portrayal of person, environment, and objects show you the glorious image of Singapore wrapped and juxtaposed in the realities of daily life as we know it.

It has been a while since I was able to appreciate poetry in its fullness, thank you Guan Liang for the great collection.

You can get more information or the book, “Transparent Strangers” here.

~ Joelyn Alexandra