Malay Sci-Fi?
Sharon asked me about Malay Sci-fi and I had duly responded at her blog. So I’ll reproduce it here. It’s from bits of info that I had, so it might not be complete. Malay sci-fi existed since the late 80’s with works like Manuklon by Dr. Rahmat Haroun. At this point of time, most of it was published by DBP. Some existed in junior novel format.
Then, in the mid 90’s we have publisher like Kenari & Arus Intelek which largely publishes junior sci-fi novels. I grew up reading these novels.
From the mid 90’s until 2006, there’s not really any definite sci-fi line up by any publisher. The only exception is the New Millenium Novel Competition series by DBP. Other than that, there’s some sci-fi novels such as 1511H Kombat & Detektif Indigo by Faisal Tehrani.
Then fast forward to 2007, PTS & KarnaDya started publishing junior sci-fi novels. By 2008, PTS also publishes it’s own adult Science & Fantasy Novel product line starting with Opera Angkasa by Nazri M. Annuar a.k.a Vovin. Then I came with Sayap Adinila followed by Takluk Jagat & Urana Exham by Zaki Zainol & Kusyi Hirdan. Alaf21 also jumps into the bandwagon with Saga Horizon by Fadli al-Akiti with their debut in the recent PBAKL.
Filed under Malaysia, Novel, Science Fiction | Comments (2)Adventure of the Ney Player
Advencer si Peniup Ney (Adventure of the Ney Player) is a fantasy novel by Malaysian writer Faisal Tehrani. It is about Sulaiman, a youth who being requested to go to djinn kingdom in the sky to change the hedonistic ways of the inhabitants. Muslim readers will spot heavy intertextuality from the Quran especially the story of Prophet Yusuf (Joseph). As for Malaysians, it also a social critic to the reality show craze that’s sweeping the country. Very well, below is a translated excerpt of the novel;
One: Request of the Forty
Dawn after the winter ends, if you look outside the window of Fatih Mosque, you’ll feel the dew raising up slowly, you’ll hear pairs of bird chirping softly, you’ll see the sun return with it’s warmth, and you’ll witness flowers budding and slowly flourishing into colours.
That dawn was an odd dawn. That’s why it is remembered. The even dawns were less remembered. It is that dawn when Ustaz Sulaiman Hilmi were requested to carry out a peculiar task. Odd as well as heavy.
At the odd dawn, the students of Ustaz Kamal were surprised to see that the saff increase seven rows. Those seven rows were filled by youths sporting beard, shoulder-length hair and wearing white robe, as well as dark blue kopiah. Their face radiant, as if they descended from a province at the peak of the clouds that is so remote, a sky province high above yet filled with fire. Indeed, their origin were unknown, but their rather small eyes and noses not too high and deep black eyes, indicates that they came from a corner of the Far East. All in all the youths are forty people altogether. That is if they really are people.
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Filed under Malaysia, Novel, fantasy | Comment (0)Welcome!
Welcome to Inspire Studio, a dedicated English Section for Studio Inspirasi. Originally I intended that from time to time, I’ll translate selected entries from the original blog and post it here. Or, I’ll write original entries in English should I get the whim to do so.
But then, stumbling upon http://www.islamscifi.com, I decided to focus this blog about Islam & Science and Fantasy. In Malaysia, sharia-compliant science & fantasy novel project had took off courtesy of PTS Publications. As such, it’s a waste not to share our experience with our Muslim brothers and sisters. Thus, Inspire Studio is born as complement to Studio Inspirasi which is written in Malay.
Filed under Ramblings | Comment (0)Striking Parallels: Full Metal Panic & MS Gundam 00
Well, let’s admit it - I’m a mecha freak and that’s the one that made me go into science courses in the first place. Of course, that drive me to write science fiction as well. One of my favourite anime series is Full Metal Panic as it bring a rather fresh perspective in the mecha genre. Firstly, it’s set on earth and the scale of mecha is different that allows it to more closely resemble special-0ps squads. That’s another plus point in my book.
Recently, I stumbled upon MS Gundam 00 and got hooked. The unique mecha designs is definitely a pull factor for me. But then, the more I delve into it the parallels with Full Metal Panic become very apparent. Firstly, the premise of the story itself - a private paramilitary organization that intervene in world conflicts. In FMP it was Mithril but in MSG00 we have Celestial Being.
Setsuna & Sagara - Very similar eh?
The main protagonist is also very similar. Both Setsuna & Sagara were child soldiers in Muslim country - Azadistan and Helmajistan respectively. Both countries are fictional but refers to real-life Kurdish territory & Afghanistan. Their personality are also similar - not talkative, not hesitant to use deadly force, skillful in combat, etc. Even their mechas Exia & Arbalest were similarly configured for melee combat.
Their sniper friend is also rather similar - Lockon Stratos & Kurz Weber were both European and sports a cheerful demeanor. It doesn’t stop there, they also have a higher ranking female officer which are also alcoholic - Sumeragi & Melissa Mao.
Talking about technology, FMP had Lambda Drive while MSG00 had GN Drive - both emit shiny particles. Mithril and Celestial Being also strikes from mobile base - Tuataha De Danaan the submarine & Ptolemy the spaceship. Interestingly, both organizations also said to posses mecha that much advanced from other nations.
Is this a coincidence? If it is, it’s such an interesting one. I didn’t get enough of FMP action anyway. 