Teorya ng Unang Panahon

by Edgar Calabia Samar

312 pages

Published September 1, 2023

About the author

Edgar Calabia Samar is a multi-awarded poet and novelist from the Philippines. His first novel, Walong Diwata ng Pagkahulog, received the NCCA Writer’s Prize in 2005, and its English translation as Eight Muses of the Fall was longlisted in the Man Asian Literary Prize in 2009. In 2013, he received two Philippine National Book Awards––one for his second novel, Sa Kasunod ng 909 (Best Novel), and another for his book on the creative process, Halos Isang Buhay: Ang Manananggal sa Pagsusulat ng Nobela (Best Book of Criticism). Si Janus Silang at ang Tiyanak ng Tabon, the first book in his YA series Janus Silang, also received the Philippine National Book Award for Best Novel in 2015 and the Philippine National Children’s Book Award for Best 2014-2015 Read in 2016. He has also received prizes for his poetry and fiction from the Palanca and the PBBY-Salanga Writer’s Prize. His other books include Pag-aabang sa Kundiman: Isang Tulambuhay, a poetry collection, and 101 Kagila-gilalas na Nilalang, a children's encyclopedia of Philippine fantastic creatures. In 2010, he was invited as writer-in-residence to the International Writing Program of the University of Iowa.

Reviews

[Bomalabs]

Definitely a whole lot different from the First Two Books, had Nonlinear narrative and I had to pause and really discern what happened. The Isekai/Multiverse/Parallel Universe has reached Phil Lit. I was more “OK lang” than “Holy Shit” after reading it so maybe I did like the first two more.

[Vanzzz]

‎Baka may spoiler.
‎
‎Buti na lang at kahit papaano ay lumihis ng direksyon itong librong ito at naging sci-fi kaya naiba sa Walong Diwata at Sa Kasunod. Tulad ng naunang dalawang libro, problema ko pa rin 'yung pagiging bloated ng librong ito, kakulangan ng detalye sa ibang bahagi, at ang pagtatapos na nakukulangan ako.
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‎Pero nagustuhan ko ang kuwento rito. Mas engaging dahil medyo reminiscent ng Janus Silang series. Gusto ko ang take sa alternate realities maging ang version ng hinaharap kung saan naging kasaysayan ang kasalukuyan natin at interesante ang perspektibo ng mga tao sa hinaharap sa atin. At syempre, puwedeng analogy 'yung hinaharap ng kasalukuyan natin. Basta ang ganda ng pagkakabuhol-buhol ng kuwento at 'yung pagkonekonekta ng tatlong bahagi ng kuwento. Saka parang mas naging invested talaga ako sa mga character dito at sa mga buhay nila, specifically 'yung dalawang magkaibiga —very interesting 'yung relationship ni Karlo at Yannis kasi hindi lang iisang version ang meron. Iisang pares sa iba't ibang alaala.
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‎Ayon, ito ang nag-standout sa trilohiya at talagang na-exceed 'yung expectations ko.

[Kevin Alcantara]

Maybe it’s just me not being a big scifi geek but i didn’t really like that the trilogy decided to suddenly tread the dystopian path. I liked the quiet and personal atmosphere of the first two, where Egay was so easily able to become yappily insightful without really going anywhere with the plot, then get away with it. I was a big fan really. Inserting a futuristic aspect into the narrative felt like the author owes the audience something: a resolution, a conclusion, just something, but the trilogy isn’t really big on giving its readers the rising and falling actions and endings, so in the end it gets quite disappointing reading through all of it and not getting anything.

[Justine Mervic]

Mindblowing, but personally not my cup of tea. Wonderfully and thoughtfully written though

[Hayaan Manawari]

I hate it because I did not write it, and the fact that I will never be able to write it.

This is peak Filipino lit. I am still in awe.