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Kolonya
A zombie apocalypse... in colonial Philippines!
Sa paparating ng mga bagong manlulupig ng Las Islas Filipinas, ’di kapwa-tao ang
kalaban. Ang laban ay sa pagitan ng mga buhay at mga patay.
Isang taong naghintay si Diego Magsaysay sa pagbabalik ng kanyang ama sa Las Islas Filipinas, ngunit siya'y bigo kaya’y napunta siya sa Ilocos Norte. Sa hindi inaasahang pagkakataon ay nasaksihan ni Diego ang pagbibitay sa tatlong inosenteng indio at sa araw ding iyon ay kumalat ang misteryosong salot na siyang magbabago sa buong mundo.
Kasama ang kanyang pangkat, magagawa kayang pigilan nina Diego ang pagkalat
ng salot sa buong kalupaan at makamit ang kalayaan mula sa mga dayuhang mananakop? O patuloy bang dadaloy ang dugo sa bawat bayan madadaanan ng salot
Sa paparating ng mga bagong manlulupig ng Las Islas Filipinas, ’di kapwa-tao ang
kalaban. Ang laban ay sa pagitan ng mga buhay at mga patay.
Isang taong naghintay si Diego Magsaysay sa pagbabalik ng kanyang ama sa Las Islas Filipinas, ngunit siya'y bigo kaya’y napunta siya sa Ilocos Norte. Sa hindi inaasahang pagkakataon ay nasaksihan ni Diego ang pagbibitay sa tatlong inosenteng indio at sa araw ding iyon ay kumalat ang misteryosong salot na siyang magbabago sa buong mundo.
Kasama ang kanyang pangkat, magagawa kayang pigilan nina Diego ang pagkalat
ng salot sa buong kalupaan at makamit ang kalayaan mula sa mga dayuhang mananakop? O patuloy bang dadaloy ang dugo sa bawat bayan madadaanan ng salot
348 pages, Paperback
First published December 13, 2024
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
August 7, 2026
I read this for the month of August to support Akdang Pinoy Readathon. This had so much potential with its premise, with obvious influences from Kingdom (Netflix) and maybe The Last of Us (HBO), and, surprisingly, Attack on Titan. Haha. Not only does the main character feel heavily inspired by Eren, but the circumstances surrounding him also felt very familiar to me: his father, the notebook, the mission to retrieve the notebook, the Katipunan, and the walls. If you’re an AoT fan, you’ll probably know what I mean.
But as much as I want to promote more Filipino works, I have too many issues with this book to give it a higher rating.
• The writing feels amateurish and, at times, reads like fanfiction
• Poorly edited; too many errors and typos, incorrect names and spellings, repeated misuse of “ng” and “nang”, and dates that suddenly switch to English for no apparent reason
• Poorly placed flashbacks that might work better in a screenplay but not in a novel
• The author keeps mentioning and enumerating the names of each character every single sentence and refuses to use pronouns for some reason
• Descriptions are repetitive; the appearance of the zombies and the action sequences are repeatedly described in the same manner, so it got old after a while
• There are inconsistencies with the language used; sometimes the dialogue sounds ancient, sometimes modern; it does not match the time period and it keeps pulling me out of the story
• The points that the author is trying to make are often too heavy-handed and in-your-face, making the dialogue corny and cringey at times
I’m really sorry. I genuinely wanted to like this, but I found myself having to stop every two pages because reading it became such a struggle. That’s especially frustrating because I think the story itself has a lot of potential.
I really hope the author and the publisher improve the writing and editing in the sequels, because there is definitely something here that could go somewhere.
But as much as I want to promote more Filipino works, I have too many issues with this book to give it a higher rating.
• The writing feels amateurish and, at times, reads like fanfiction
• Poorly edited; too many errors and typos, incorrect names and spellings, repeated misuse of “ng” and “nang”, and dates that suddenly switch to English for no apparent reason
• Poorly placed flashbacks that might work better in a screenplay but not in a novel
• The author keeps mentioning and enumerating the names of each character every single sentence and refuses to use pronouns for some reason
• Descriptions are repetitive; the appearance of the zombies and the action sequences are repeatedly described in the same manner, so it got old after a while
• There are inconsistencies with the language used; sometimes the dialogue sounds ancient, sometimes modern; it does not match the time period and it keeps pulling me out of the story
• The points that the author is trying to make are often too heavy-handed and in-your-face, making the dialogue corny and cringey at times
I’m really sorry. I genuinely wanted to like this, but I found myself having to stop every two pages because reading it became such a struggle. That’s especially frustrating because I think the story itself has a lot of potential.
I really hope the author and the publisher improve the writing and editing in the sequels, because there is definitely something here that could go somewhere.
October 20, 2025
This is written in Tagalog and is an ongoing series with Kolonya as the first book.
WHAT’S IN THIS BOOK?
🧟♂️Zombies! Specifically, Pinoy zombies!
🧑🧑🧒🧒Found family (need more of them pls)
🗺️Historical references (Katipuneros, Gobernador-heneral, polo y servicio)
💟Teenage love
📕Intriguing storyline
🏃🏽Action-packed adventure
Pwede kong sabihin na para sa akin ang librong it kasi mahilig ako sa mga zombie zombie at aaminin ko, naengganyo ako sa premise ng Kolonya lalo na at nangyari ito sa panahong nasa ilalim tayo ng pananakop ng mga Kastila.
Pero may mga inconsistency akong nakita na sobrang nakaapekto sa aking reading experience - pinakaobvious ang typo lalo na at kritikal ang mga epekto ng mga salita na nagse-set ng vibe ng libro. May eksena rin dito na kumanta ng harana ang isa sa mga karakter pero isang 70s? na kanta ang ginamit if tama ang pagkaalala ko.
May potensyal at posibleng bilhin ko pa rin ang mga susunod na libro sa serye, sana mas pulido na ang editing next time.
WHAT’S IN THIS BOOK?
🧟♂️Zombies! Specifically, Pinoy zombies!
🧑🧑🧒🧒Found family (need more of them pls)
🗺️Historical references (Katipuneros, Gobernador-heneral, polo y servicio)
💟Teenage love
📕Intriguing storyline
🏃🏽Action-packed adventure
Pwede kong sabihin na para sa akin ang librong it kasi mahilig ako sa mga zombie zombie at aaminin ko, naengganyo ako sa premise ng Kolonya lalo na at nangyari ito sa panahong nasa ilalim tayo ng pananakop ng mga Kastila.
Pero may mga inconsistency akong nakita na sobrang nakaapekto sa aking reading experience - pinakaobvious ang typo lalo na at kritikal ang mga epekto ng mga salita na nagse-set ng vibe ng libro. May eksena rin dito na kumanta ng harana ang isa sa mga karakter pero isang 70s? na kanta ang ginamit if tama ang pagkaalala ko.
May potensyal at posibleng bilhin ko pa rin ang mga susunod na libro sa serye, sana mas pulido na ang editing next time.
October 18, 2025
ramdam ko sa buto ko yung bawat eksena GRABEEEE WHEN I SAY I WANT A FILIPINO HISTORICAL FICTION, ITO YUN!!!!!
September 12, 2025
Binili ko ang librong ito nang wala akong inaasahan. Hindi ko kilala ang author, at wala rin akong ideya kung tungkol saan ang istorya. Ang tanging nakita ko lang ay ang mga salitang: “A zombie apocalypse… in colonial Philippines.” Dahil mahilig ako sa kasaysayan, at lalo na sa mga kwentong may halong imahinasyon, agad ko itong dinampot.
Ang Kolonya ay umiikot sa karakter ni Diego Magsaysay at ang kanyang paghahanap sa nawalay niyang ama. Pero sa paglalakbay niyang ito, masasaksihan niya ang pagbangon ng mga patay. Kasabay ang misyong haharapin din nila ang mga Kastila sa laban para sa kalayaan.
Sa totoo lang, medyo nagdalawang-isip pa ako noong una. Hindi dahil hindi ako interesado, kundi dahil hindi ko ito mahanap sa Goodreads o Fable. Pero habang binabasa ko ang unang mga pahina, napansin kong may something sa kwentong ito na parang ang hirap bitawan.
At hindi nga ako nagkamali. Ang ganda ng pagkakasulat. Walang nasayang na pahina. Marami ring mga tagpong nakakakilabot — madugo, mabangis, at minsan ay nakakatindig-balahibo.
Ang mga karakter ay buhay na buhay. Kaabang-abang ang mga susunod na mangyayari sa kanila. May mga eksenang ikinagulat ko, lalo na kung paano nagtapos ang ilang buhay. At aaminin ko, gusto ko pang mas makilala si Demakulem.
Hindi ko rin inasahan ang twist ng kwento. At sa mga huling pahina, ramdam ko talaga ang bigat para kina Diego at Elena.
Sa kabuuan, sobrang saya ko na nabasa ko ang Kolonya. At excited ako na may kasunod pa ito.
Ang Kolonya ay umiikot sa karakter ni Diego Magsaysay at ang kanyang paghahanap sa nawalay niyang ama. Pero sa paglalakbay niyang ito, masasaksihan niya ang pagbangon ng mga patay. Kasabay ang misyong haharapin din nila ang mga Kastila sa laban para sa kalayaan.
Sa totoo lang, medyo nagdalawang-isip pa ako noong una. Hindi dahil hindi ako interesado, kundi dahil hindi ko ito mahanap sa Goodreads o Fable. Pero habang binabasa ko ang unang mga pahina, napansin kong may something sa kwentong ito na parang ang hirap bitawan.
At hindi nga ako nagkamali. Ang ganda ng pagkakasulat. Walang nasayang na pahina. Marami ring mga tagpong nakakakilabot — madugo, mabangis, at minsan ay nakakatindig-balahibo.
Ang mga karakter ay buhay na buhay. Kaabang-abang ang mga susunod na mangyayari sa kanila. May mga eksenang ikinagulat ko, lalo na kung paano nagtapos ang ilang buhay. At aaminin ko, gusto ko pang mas makilala si Demakulem.
Hindi ko rin inasahan ang twist ng kwento. At sa mga huling pahina, ramdam ko talaga ang bigat para kina Diego at Elena.
Sa kabuuan, sobrang saya ko na nabasa ko ang Kolonya. At excited ako na may kasunod pa ito.
October 30, 2025
Kolonya is much more than just a zombie thriller; it's a gripping story that masterfully blends horror and sharp social commentary.
What immediately hooked me was the classic apocalypse premise, but what made me stay was the story's unflinching look at the persistent societal problems faced by Filipinos. The author skillfully uses the backdrop of the infection to examine timely and timeless struggles—issues that resonate just as strongly today as they did in the fictional past.
The reading experience felt smooth and immersive. I appreciated the author's accessible use of language (Filipino) which made it easy to dive right into the world. While some descriptive phrases for the infected felt a little repetitive, it's a minor point that barely distracted from the intensity of the plot.
A major highlight is the magnificent ensemble of the main characters. The execution of the found family trope is top-tier and became the emotional backbone of the entire narrative. They are characters you genuinely grow to love and root for, which makes the inevitable struggles and dangers they face deeply impactful.
Overall: I thoroughly enjoyed this book and strongly recommend it. It's a compelling, action-packed, and emotionally resonant read that offers not just entertainment, but valuable lessons. I'm eagerly awaiting Book 2 and can't wait to see what happens next! Congratulations to the author!
What immediately hooked me was the classic apocalypse premise, but what made me stay was the story's unflinching look at the persistent societal problems faced by Filipinos. The author skillfully uses the backdrop of the infection to examine timely and timeless struggles—issues that resonate just as strongly today as they did in the fictional past.
The reading experience felt smooth and immersive. I appreciated the author's accessible use of language (Filipino) which made it easy to dive right into the world. While some descriptive phrases for the infected felt a little repetitive, it's a minor point that barely distracted from the intensity of the plot.
A major highlight is the magnificent ensemble of the main characters. The execution of the found family trope is top-tier and became the emotional backbone of the entire narrative. They are characters you genuinely grow to love and root for, which makes the inevitable struggles and dangers they face deeply impactful.
Overall: I thoroughly enjoyed this book and strongly recommend it. It's a compelling, action-packed, and emotionally resonant read that offers not just entertainment, but valuable lessons. I'm eagerly awaiting Book 2 and can't wait to see what happens next! Congratulations to the author!
November 16, 2025
I was so excited to read this when I got it. So I hope everyone would survive the candor because this had so much potential.
The premise was its hook: a zombie apocalypse in colonial Philippines. There could have been influences of Game of Thrones, Noli Me Tangere, El Filibusterismo, maybe even the Korean zombie apocalypse slash period piece, Kingdom, which were good but for me kind of fell short on delivering.
The first quarter was gripping. But the rest, to be honest, almost made me DNF this because my reading experienced changed.
Down the line, too many plot holes became apparent. There were also contrived scenes—some were also un- or under-established. There were also lines and dialogues that were quite 1) inconsistent with the way people spoke at that time, and 2) that just didn't quite work for me.
It needed more help from editing. For example: towards the end the way months were written changed from Tagalog to English all of a sudden as if Enero and Pebrero were alien to the language.
There were also too many typos that made the entire piece seem rushed. Not to mention, there was one scene where the author confused one of his characters and inadvertently and mistakenly introducing what seemed to be a new one but not, Gabriel (when he surely meant Miguel, during a romantic scene with Gabriela).
Again, nice effort, promising premise. Could have been great had they maximized every checkpoint of the publishing process to refine this piece. So please, keep writing.
The premise was its hook: a zombie apocalypse in colonial Philippines. There could have been influences of Game of Thrones, Noli Me Tangere, El Filibusterismo, maybe even the Korean zombie apocalypse slash period piece, Kingdom, which were good but for me kind of fell short on delivering.
The first quarter was gripping. But the rest, to be honest, almost made me DNF this because my reading experienced changed.
Down the line, too many plot holes became apparent. There were also contrived scenes—some were also un- or under-established. There were also lines and dialogues that were quite 1) inconsistent with the way people spoke at that time, and 2) that just didn't quite work for me.
It needed more help from editing. For example: towards the end the way months were written changed from Tagalog to English all of a sudden as if Enero and Pebrero were alien to the language.
There were also too many typos that made the entire piece seem rushed. Not to mention, there was one scene where the author confused one of his characters and inadvertently and mistakenly introducing what seemed to be a new one but not, Gabriel (when he surely meant Miguel, during a romantic scene with Gabriela).
Again, nice effort, promising premise. Could have been great had they maximized every checkpoint of the publishing process to refine this piece. So please, keep writing.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 16, 2025
Was I entertained?! Sobra! 5 stars! yun
naman ang purpose ko for reading, yung maentertain ako at maengganyo tapusin ung libro.
Picked this book sa MIBF. as a big fan ng zombie genre syempre binili ko na agad. akala ko comics sya sa totoo lang, nung nakita ko na hindi at makapal ung book and small font pa, nadiscourage ako. Started reading October, pero medyo nabore ako kaya ang tagal ko sa chapters 1-3. Pero nung nasimulan ko ung chapter 4 nung 3 days ago, nako ayaw ko na bitawan ung libro. Kung wala lang ako responsibilities natapos ko to agad. last time na nakapagbasa ako ng book na ayaw ko na bitawan was harry potter series pa. kaya talagang entertaining ang book na to.
may mga typos, slow parts especially sa mga flashbacks ( which would have worked kung tv series to na pinapanood pero pag binabasa medyo dragging sya sakin).Spanish era sya pero ung conversations is hindi ung way na magsalita nung time ng mga espanyol( which is ok lang naman sakin kasi mas madali intindihin) ung mga characters mapapansin mo kung kanino inspired( may character na parang si Andres bonifacio, emilio aguinaldo etc) and as a fan nga ng zombie genre, nareremind ako nung mga tv shows dahil sa mga plots nya.
bitin ung ending pero I was satisfied naman, pero dahil
nalaman ko na ongoing series pala to, im seated for the next book!
naman ang purpose ko for reading, yung maentertain ako at maengganyo tapusin ung libro.
Picked this book sa MIBF. as a big fan ng zombie genre syempre binili ko na agad. akala ko comics sya sa totoo lang, nung nakita ko na hindi at makapal ung book and small font pa, nadiscourage ako. Started reading October, pero medyo nabore ako kaya ang tagal ko sa chapters 1-3. Pero nung nasimulan ko ung chapter 4 nung 3 days ago, nako ayaw ko na bitawan ung libro. Kung wala lang ako responsibilities natapos ko to agad. last time na nakapagbasa ako ng book na ayaw ko na bitawan was harry potter series pa. kaya talagang entertaining ang book na to.
may mga typos, slow parts especially sa mga flashbacks ( which would have worked kung tv series to na pinapanood pero pag binabasa medyo dragging sya sakin).Spanish era sya pero ung conversations is hindi ung way na magsalita nung time ng mga espanyol( which is ok lang naman sakin kasi mas madali intindihin) ung mga characters mapapansin mo kung kanino inspired( may character na parang si Andres bonifacio, emilio aguinaldo etc) and as a fan nga ng zombie genre, nareremind ako nung mga tv shows dahil sa mga plots nya.
bitin ung ending pero I was satisfied naman, pero dahil
nalaman ko na ongoing series pala to, im seated for the next book!
August 16, 2026
3.5 stars
Kolonya is definitely an entertaining book, with interesting elements like family dynamics, gore, colonialism, patriotism, and morally grey characters. The concept was very intriguing and has a lot of potential as a historical fiction.
What sometimes challenged me were the repetitive events, typographical errors, inconsistencies, and unanswered questions. I understand it “might” be a series (?), but I finished the book with more questions than answers, and I felt like I didn’t get much from the ending.
Overall, I highly enjoyed reading this book. A zombie apocalypse in colonial Philippines, where everyone wears baro’t saya and people are hungry for freedom, is such an interesting concept! It could use a bit more editing, though, if it becomes a series.
Kolonya is definitely an entertaining book, with interesting elements like family dynamics, gore, colonialism, patriotism, and morally grey characters. The concept was very intriguing and has a lot of potential as a historical fiction.
What sometimes challenged me were the repetitive events, typographical errors, inconsistencies, and unanswered questions. I understand it “might” be a series (?), but I finished the book with more questions than answers, and I felt like I didn’t get much from the ending.
Overall, I highly enjoyed reading this book. A zombie apocalypse in colonial Philippines, where everyone wears baro’t saya and people are hungry for freedom, is such an interesting concept! It could use a bit more editing, though, if it becomes a series.
July 19, 2026
4.75
Bulakenyos always found at the scene of the crime 😭
Bulakenyos always found at the scene of the crime 😭
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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