RATING GUIDE:
5 – A keeper!
4 – Very good
3 – Passable
2 – I’d rather read
a telephone book
1 – An absolute bomb.
Read at your own risk!
If you have been following my blog,
you know I was pleasantly surprised by the first book in Vanessa’s Vaekaria
series (Andrei, Ang Itinakwil Na Anak Ng Tenon), and was curious about
its forthcoming installments. Well,
here at last is Book Two, and I must say I am more than pleasantly surprised by
this book. In fact, I am absolutely
bowled over by it and I just love, love, LOVE this book! Move over, Harry Potter and Mortal
Instruments … for here is Vaekaria … and guess what? It’s Proudly Philippine-Made!
Vanessa’s wonderful second book is
the story of Isadora, a wizard of heavenly beauty and brains. She disguises herself as a “love slave” in a
brothel called “Talutot” in order to get close to (and eliminate) the warrior
Vaekarian champions and thus save Yorgos, her childhood friend and secret
love. It is on this mission that she
meets a warrior named Pyrros. Isadora
is supposed to hate Pyrros, but for some reason, Pyrros reminds her of someone
very important in her life … soon, Isadora finds herself falling for Pyrros …
but Pyrros is a criminal! Pyrros wants
to kill Yorgos! What must she do?
Many Filipino readers are turned off
by the prospect of reading books in Filipino because they have the impression
that books in Filipino are either (1) Trashy, or (2) Heavy and boring as
hell. Well, this book is well-made and
extremely entertaining … definitely worth your money from the very first down
to the very last page.
I don’t think I have come across an
original book in Filipino that is as funny and entertaining as this one. I was laughing out loud by the time I made
it to the second page, and the laughs just kept on coming. The characters are very lovable and
entertaining, including some of Vanessa’s side characters (you just have to love
Isadora’s pet frog and its special, er, “ability”!). The story advances along quite smoothly and quickly, there’s
never a dull moment, and there are really surprise twists that are just very
entertaining. Of course, keep in mind
that this book wasn’t written to change the world … but this book does deliver
and gives its reader a hell of a good time.
In fact, this gem of a book is such a
wonderful read that I wish the publisher would consider translating this book
into English and exporting it … give the global reading market a sampling of
popular Filipino fiction! I do believe
it has the potential of doing very well in the international market. I also think the networks or the producers
would be fools not to bring this story to life in a movie (an MMFF entry, at
least!) or a telenovela. If
there’s anything that can revive the love of Filipinos for the fantaserye
trend, I believe this book is it. Why, I can already imagine the actors and
actresses who could bring life to this story!
I really have to congratulate Vanessa
for coming up with such an entertaining and memorable book … and yes, I can’t
wait for Book Three to come out!
RATING: 5
