The Sky Serpent

by Ismim Putera

A Pendekar Desa named Bawang Merah fights valiantly against the mambang, hideous monsters from Hutan. On the run from a cunning witch and a formidable mambang, she makes her way to Kayangan. There, she meets Ratu Bimasakti, the ruler of Kayangan and guardian of Hutan.

With the aid of Ratu Bimasakti, she discovers the location of her long-lost mother and learns that Hutan is hiding another terrifying monster—Nangkawang. What is Nangkawang? Why is it dreaded in the human realm, Kayangan, and the Bunian Kingdom? What should Bawang do to defend her home against Nangkawang?

152 pages, Paperback

First published August 12, 2024

Reviews

[Nadiah Zakaria · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 ⭐️

I love the various creative jampi that the characters used and Bawang Merah is a badass. Always been my fav between the two anyway and I love that Bawang is not portrayed as an antagonist despite her being a dukun.

My fav character is most probably Bintang because I just adore the tiger. The local elements in this book mesmerized me and I enjoyed reading about the myriad of characters that we as Malaysians are familiar with such as Nenek Kebayan!

Gotta love that there's a prince named Purnama Widuri. And there's a King Widuri. Like heyyy Widuri represent!!

I just wish some of the scenes are more fleshed out and since this is an omniscient POV, some characters are more highlighted than the rest so it falls a bit flat at some points. But it was all in all an enjoyable read!

I really wish we had more scenes of the serpent itself though. I love mythical creatures and this book is unique in its simplicity of weaving the different characters into one adventurous tale!

[Sabrina Adia · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's a short book, consisting 150 pages in total.

The pacing is quite fast and straightforward. I believe the localisation of Malay myths and fantasy made it unique, though at some point it may appear a bit overused.
Nothing too bad about this book, I think it is great for literature studies for high schoolers.

[Aqilah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love how the author incorporated folklore and fantasy smoothly! Each page just wows me. And the story was short, so it doesn't bore me at all! Love love love!

[Lilishccino 🧸 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐☆ ☆

Another short novel from Bookiut ticked off! 📚✨
Despite being only around 150 pages, this book had a lot going on 🤣 I initially assumed it would be an easy, quick read, but I actually struggled at the beginning. While the universe itself is relatively simple, the author’s writing style made it harder for me to ease into the story.

The novel follows a Pendekar Desa named Bawang Merah, who lives in Akar Emas; one of the five villages in Belantara, alongside Karang Putih, Kantan Kasturi, Berlian Putih, and Terang Bulan 🌿 She is tasked with fighting evil creatures known as mambang, who have been wreaking havoc across Belantara in search of a blue stone capable of resurrecting Nangkawang, a powerful mambang petrified centuries ago by the King of Kayangan. The mambangs believe only Nangkawang possesses the power to rule Belantara, Hutan, and even Kayangan.

During her journey, Bawang Merah is “kidnapped” into the Hutan and later rescued by the pari-pari of Kayangan 🕊️ There, she reunites with her long-lost mother and sister and learns the truth about her lineage in which her family comes from a line of dukun, though benevolent ones.

Concept-wise, I genuinely enjoyed this book. I’m always biased toward stories rooted in local folklore and themes I grew up with, and this novel delivered strongly in that aspect 🤍 The mantras were beautifully written, and I really appreciated the inclusion of a map as it added a thoughtful touch to the world-building.

That said, there were several areas where I felt the novel could have been improved:

1. The lack of character personification stood out the most. I found myself misgendering characters about half the time due to their feminine names and the absence of physical or emotional descriptions. While imaginative freedom can be fun, it felt jarring when even the protagonist was barely described (´｡• ︿ •｡`). Some unnecessary plot elements could have been replaced with stronger character and setting development.

2. The timeline felt disjointed. Events jumped back and forth without clear transitions, which made the reading experience slightly confusing. Simple visual cues such as symbols or clearer breaks could have helped distinguish present events from past narratives more effectively.

3. Tthe world-building surrounding the realms was unclear at times. I struggled to understand whether the Bunian Kingdom existed within Kayangan or functioned as an entirely separate realm. Similarly, the reasoning behind Mak Lengkuas’ imprisonment felt underexplained and lacked narrative justification.

4. The ending felt rushed. Several plot threads were left unresolved, particularly regarding the fate of Bawang Merah’s mother and sister. After such an eventful journey, I wished for more closure 🥲📖

Still, I appreciate the heart behind it and I’ll always be glad to read stories inspired by local folklore 🌙✨

[SITI NURBAITI MOHAMED · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book gave me such a wholesome experience! The world building reflecting Malay folklore, the character's names which are enchanting to me, the plot, the magical realms of Kayangan, Bunian World, pari-pari, mambangs, bamboo walls, enchanted Hutan and the earthly village resided by the people of old Malay hierarchical system consists of pendekar and dukuns are all astounding! I cannot put it down. Somehow it magical works in this novella reminds me so much of Avatar and how elements of air, water, fire and earth are bended to human's wishes. With the practice of jampi, these human in The Sky Serpent can grow crops, heal people and use to fight mambangs. Cool weh! Enough with the world building. The Sky Serpent is about a female warrior Bawang Merah, who soon to realise she's a dukun in search of her long lost mother (Ibu Lengkuas) due to a conflict existed in Kayangan and Bunian World; and with her mother's enemy (Marismawangi, aaa I love the name weh!) tailing her in search of blue stone to tame a beast (Nangkawang), she needs to rescue her home from the beast save the three realms. It was an epic journey and I just love the names so much! Also it was a contradiction to the original Bawang Putih Bawang Merah the famous folklore where Merah is the legendary warrior but Putih married a prince after she became a slave/dancer Who would've thought that. Despite that, I do hope there will be a longer fight scene between Bawang and the beast and Marismawangi. Ke ada sequel? Hehehehe. Please Ismim Putera we need the second book!

This whole book needs to be in literature class and needs to be researched la serious cakap. Best sangat! 5/5 for this novella! Love it so much!

[Sofea Zainal · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.8⭐️ but i put here 5⭐️

THIS BOOK IS LEGIT EPIC!!! 150 pages full of adventure & magic! ughh i love this book so much! Bawang Merah is an icon purrr! this book follows Bawang Merah and her fellow Pendekar Desa protecting the village from evil lurking from the Hutan. Just wanna share, the blurb of this book is literally describing the second half of the book!! AND HONESTLY SPEAKING, I LOVE THE FIRST HALF OF THE BOOK BETTER 💗 perhaps it was intriguing? and ya know, Bawang Merah & Zamrud’s moments kinda 🤭😛. the second half kinda have lots of things going on, that sometimes i need to reread and “aha, got it!”. kinda unsatisfied with the ending because im still questioning about Bawang Merah’s sister & mom’s fate (perhaps hoping more story about them) but so far it’s not bugging me much. jsgshs love this book so much! it’s literally my kind of genre, love the kampung, dukun, pendekar vibes, woven with the kayangan lore, bunian kingdom and the mythical creatures. yeah, thats my jammmzzz 🤪

the spells?? whew, pure arts! how can they be so beautiful 😍 my favourite spell? hehe gonna share it on my tiktok video 🤪🤣

but idk why the serpent arent giving me much impact?? the evil mambang caught my attention more and i do feel theyre more evil than the serpent idk idk, readers please leave some thoughts on this hehe

gonna attach my review video here on tiktok soon! thankies bookiut for sending me this amazing piece! love love love it so much 💗

[Aleeqa · Rating 4 out of 5]

In “The Sky Serpent,” we are swept into a vibrant and imaginative world where ancient folklore, magic, and courage collide. The author masterfully weaves together elements of Malaysian folklore, making the story rich with cultural references that resonate with readers familiar with Southeast Asian myths.


The story follows Bawang Merah, a brave Pendekar Desa, as she battles against the mambang, horrific creatures that emerge from the ominous Hutan. The narrative takes an exhilarating turn when Bawang Merah, pursued by a cunning witch and a powerful mambang, seeks refuge in Kayangan, a celestial realm ruled by the wise and enigmatic Ratu Bimasakti.

Alliance between Bawang Merah and Ratu Bimasakti is one of the novel's highlights, showcasing the strength of female solidarity and wisdom. Adding to this dynamic is the lively interaction between Bawang Merah and Zamrud, which brings a touch of humour and lightheartedness to the intense, action-packed plot.
As the novella titled “The Sky Serpent," I was waiting for the appearance of the serpent. Yet, when the serpent finally emerges late in the story, its presence feels underwhelming, leaving me longing for a more impactful moment. Additionally, the abundance of characters is overwhelming, making it difficult to keep track of each one’s role and significance. Expanding the novella into a full-length novel could allow for greater character development and a more intricate plot.

One element that truly shines is the enchanting, lyrical spells woven throughout the story. These spells are beautifully crafted, adding a rhythmic, almost musical quality to the narrative that lingers in my mind.

Overall, “The Sky Serpent” is an enjoyable story to read. Fans of fantasy, folklore, and strong female protagonists will find much to love in this thrilling novel.

[Hanan Kia · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars ⭐️ [pls this is only my take on this]

I tried liking this book only this wasn’t my cup of tea. I throughly enjoyed the plot and the author using Malay mythologies and legends into the story. I love that. Only I feel it’s overuse?

In parts where there plenty of events are ongoing, and it leaves me slightly confuse at where I am. There’s also awkward pauses from one paragraph to the next and most of it starts with a dialogue of a new or different character, with little contexts. It does get a bit frustrating.

But I seriously dig the idea of using the “Jampi’s” into riddles to cast spells! And the fact there’s a hint of our classic story “Bawang Putih Dan Bawang Merah” being implemented. That was refreshing in my opinion.

Overall, it was a bit of a tough read but I am definitely looking forward to seeing more of this author’s work. I like the ideas put in.

[Nurul Asyiqin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Spoiler Alert !

I bought this book without reading any review either in booktok or bookstagram but it turns out that , this book is quite interesting to read .

I love Bawang's character . She is so brave and quite intelligent while confront the enemy especially when she try to make a trap for Marismawangi . Also , Zamrud ! This guy never leave his bestie eventhough he was sick . He also trust his companion by giving Rimau Bulan to Bawang . He knew that she can used it very well .

But , I'm quite dissapointed with the ending . There are several things that unsolved yet. Please tell me that there is sequel to this book .

[Auni · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's nice to be able to read such an enjoyable and peaceful book without any heavy emotions in it. This book fits 'Choose Your Fighter' from Ava Max song perfectly - the vibes and lyrics, I mean. Also, I wonder what happened to Bawang Putih and Bawang Merah mother as there are no other stories about them - I hoped this book has a sequel 🥺🙏🏻.

Ps : this books can get really 😵‍💫 sometimes.

[Alissaf · Rating 5 out of 5]

if you want to learn english word, you can read this book!!