LONTAR #2

LONTAR #2

by Jason Erik Lundberg (Founding Editor), Kristine Ong Muslim (Poetry Editor), E.C. Myers (Contributor)

This issue of LONTAR presents speculative writing from and about Korea, Singapore, Indonesia, Cambodia, Vietnam and Thailand. Inside these pages, you’ll a metamorphic love story near the Korean DMZ from award-winner E.C. Myers; a cautionary tale about Singaporean elitism from Tiffany Tsao; an examination of the illusory facets of love from Victor Fernando R. Ocampo; a haunting and beautiful evocation of a fantastical Vietnamese floating market from Eliza Chan; a brand new supernatural crime tale from bestselling author John Burdett; and speculative poetry from Jerrold Yam, Tse Hao Guang, Ang Si Min, Shelly Bryant and Daryl Yam.

Genres: Speculative Fiction, Poetry, Short Stories, Anthologies

112 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 1, 2014

About the author

Jason Erik Lundberg was born in Brooklyn, New York, grew up in Raleigh, North Carolina, and has lived in Singapore since 2007. His latest publications are the novel A Fickle and Restless Weapon (2020), the related novella Diary of One Who Disappeared (2019, recipient of a Creation Grant from the National Arts Council of Singapore), and the "greatest hits" short fiction collection Most Excellent and Lamentable: Selected Stories (2019).

He is also the author of many other books for adults—including Red Dot Irreal (2011), The Alchemy of Happiness (2012), Strange Mammals (2013), and Embracing the Strange (2013); books for children—the bestselling six-book Bo Bo and Cha Cha picture book series (2012–2015) and Carol the Coral (2016); and more than a hundred short stories, articles, and book reviews. His writing has been translated into half a dozen languages, and seen publication in venues such as Mānoa: A Pacific Journal of International Writing, the Raleigh News & Observer, Farrago’s Wainscot, Hot Metal Bridge, Strange Horizons, Subterranean Magazine, The Third Alternative, Electric Velocipede, and many other places. His work has won the POPULAR Readers’ Choice Award, has been shortlisted for the SLF Fountain Award, Brenda L. Smart Award for Short Fiction and SCBWI Crystal Kite Member Choice Award, and was honourably mentioned twice in The Year’s Best Fantasy and Horror.

For nearly twelve years, Lundberg was the fiction editor at Epigram Books, where he jump-started the Singaporean publisher's fiction line; many of the over 90 titles he edited there won multiple national awards, and made various year’s best lists. His authors include Boey Kim Cheng, Meihan Boey, Balli Kaur Jaswal, Amanda Lee Koe, Ng Yi-Sheng, Nuraliah Norasid, O Thiam Chin, Jeremy Tiang, Cyril Wong and Daryl Qilin Yam.

In addition, he is the founding editor of LONTAR: The Journal of Southeast Asian Speculative Fiction (2012–2018), series editor for the award-winning biennial Best New Singaporean Short Stories anthology series (est. 2013), editor of Fish Eats Lion Redux (2022) and Fish Eats Lion (2012), and co-editor of A Field Guide to Surreal Botany (2008) and Scattered, Covered, Smothered (2004). From 2005–2008, he facilitated an occasional podcast called Lies and Little Deaths: A Virtual Anthology.

An active member in PEN America and a 2002 graduate of the prestigious Clarion Writers Workshop, Lundberg holds a Master's degree in creative writing from North Carolina State University. Furthermore, he was a 2025 Visiting Writer at the Asia Creative Writing Programme, and a 2023 International Writer-in-Residence at the Toji Cultural Foundation Residency Program in South Korea. He has served as a prose mentor with the Creative Arts Programme and Ceriph Mentorship Programme, and he currently lectures on contemporary publishing, editorial theory & practice, and creative writing at Nanyang Technological University.

Reviews

[Tyrannosaurus regina · Rating 4 out of 5]

While I didn't like this quite as much as the first issue, it's still a really solid, really enjoyable collection of stories and poetry. "What Is Being Erased" in particular was one hell of a sucker punch.

[Tanushri Saha · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favourite short stories from this edition were "The Tiger in the Forest Between Two Worlds" by E.C Myers and "Entanglement" by Victor Fernando R. Ocampo. Floating Market by Eliza Chan was also a really beautiful read!

[Nor · Rating 4 out of 5]

LONTAR # 2 is a second collection of Southeast Asian speculative fiction, containing five fiction pieces and five poems. This issue leans more toward fantasy, which is overall enjoyable and a fun read. However, I felt one story somewhat out of place within the collection. Here are brief reviews of the stories included. (mild spoiler)

The Tiger in the Forest Between Two Worlds - E.C. Myers
Even though this story is set in the Korean Peninsula, the tale of tiger-man (woman) is very common in Southeast Asia. The story revolves around a tiger-woman who is forced to leave the forest due to environmental degradation. For the survival of her kind, she needs to find a mate. At the zoo, she meets a man, a human who cares for the tiger, and accepts him as her mate.. The idea that environmental degradation drives wild animals to cross species boundaries with humans is quite depressing.

What is Being Erased - Tiffany Tsao
When knowledge becomes excludable and rivalrous. What would the life of a scholar look like? I truly love this story. It explores how knowledge can flow alongside the sacrificial life of a scholar.

The Floating Market - Eliza Chan
A wonderful story, very sentimental. It is a fantasy tale of hardship, life, childhood, family, and memory. Beautiful read.

The Apartment - John Burdett
Thai prostitute, heroin, scam, Muay Thai, white cops, gunfight, Isaan dialect, Thai massage, superstitious. I really have no words for this one.

[Paricha duangtaweesub · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cool collection of stories that are either set within or inspired by SE Asian narratives; The Tiger in the Forest Between Two Worlds and What is Being Erased are the standout shorts here. The journey of realization that both stories propel the narrator on made me question the meaning of the things we do and have always done as an good true Asian (the value we place on societal achievement, the grudge we hold with family, the traditions that we blindly follow). I look forward to reading the other collections.

[Joely · Rating 4 out of 5]

The poetry was a bit too out-there for me, and I did not understand it, but the styles were enlightening, and the choice of vocabulary riveting. On the other hand, the stories were deliciously indie and delightful. Each story will leave you pondering how black words on beige paper can express the vibrancy and colourful of south-east Asia.

[Sara J. (kefuwa) · Rating 4 out of 5]

The second issue of Lontar - again with a nice selection of SEA speculative fiction - even the non-SEA Korean one is a good read and being as such I found myself hard to be miffed that it wasn't South East Asian. Good stuff.

Source: Weightless Books
First read: 7dec2019

[Jericho Eames · Rating 4 out of 5]

Definitely worth trying if you're into sci-fi and fantasy. Also south east Asian pride!