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Remang: An Anthology of Ghostly Tales
Foul fiends and horrifying hauntings fill the pages of this new collection of Malaysian tales. Whether inspired by homegrown creatures of the night, like the pontianak, or featuring supernatural beings and lost souls created especially to chill your blood, these stories will keep you turning the pages and looking over your shoulder all through the night.
A man seeks for a miracle cure for his heartache. Langsuir on a train. A rape attempt on a woman with mysterious past. Supernatural guardian from a small village in India. Haunted back alley. Sixteen horrifying and distinctive tales in this long-awaited collection, curated by Daphne Lee.
Daphne Lee is an author, editor and columnist with over twenty years of experience. With stories from well-known writers like Tunku Halim, Shih-Li Kow and Golda Mowe, and exciting new authors like Atikah Abdul Wahid, Wong Jo-Yen and Fazlyn Abdul Malek, she brought together the best, and most promising, writers in Malaysia for this collection.
A man seeks for a miracle cure for his heartache. Langsuir on a train. A rape attempt on a woman with mysterious past. Supernatural guardian from a small village in India. Haunted back alley. Sixteen horrifying and distinctive tales in this long-awaited collection, curated by Daphne Lee.
Daphne Lee is an author, editor and columnist with over twenty years of experience. With stories from well-known writers like Tunku Halim, Shih-Li Kow and Golda Mowe, and exciting new authors like Atikah Abdul Wahid, Wong Jo-Yen and Fazlyn Abdul Malek, she brought together the best, and most promising, writers in Malaysia for this collection.
- GenresHorror
293 pages, Paperback
Published August 2, 2017
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36 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
October 11, 2017
I am one of the writers in this anthology so, I'm going to be a tad biased. Just a tad. Instant 5 stars! Lol. I'm not going to touch on my own short story but on the ones that I enjoyed from other writers. I am not that self-indulgent. Also, yes, this is a horror anthology written in English.
Although my story is pretty much under the categories urban fantasy and horror, a lot of the entries in this anthology are inspired from classic Malaysian monster lore and familiar horror tropes. There are the usual Malay ghosts and monsters like pontianak and toyol but there are also a few that I'm not personally familiar with like the spectre huntsmen in Tunku Halim's opener story. The ghost stories in here have a very Malaysian flavour. I also like the recurring theme of people becoming exposed to creepy otherworldly creatures thanks to their pesky older relatives dabbling in the supernatural. Thanks for the inheritance, dead family members!
But let's go straight to my favourite stories from this anthology. Right off the bat, Golda Mowe's "A Visitor at Dusk" is a creepy revenge story that's downright eerie. It's easy to stick a ghost in a story and call it a ghost story but one that actually gives you goosebumps? So, if you want something that makes your skin crawl, this is the one to read. Also, I read Fixi Novo's Chronicles of KK and just had to ask: what's up with Sabahans and ?? There is one too many stories! I also really enjoyed Paul GnanaSelvam's story "The Umbrella Exit". Paul takes a common Malaysian horror trope, the Hungry Ghost Festival, and gives it a mysterious aura that's really fascinating. In fact, the "monster" feels quite exotic and the dreamlike nature of the story easily makes this a memorable story for me. I especially love the fact that the setting is on a train. I think Paul is one of the local writers to watch.
William Tham's "Heirloom" is also another interesting take on a familiar Malaysian horror trope: toyol. That's not really a spoiler because the story itself is how its main character tries to get rid of this creature and loses everything in the process. It is part horror and part thriller with a dash of political intrigue. I love the way it is written as we are seamlessly pushed around from the present time to the past and back again. This story could easily be a movie feature and I would watch it. Another short story that I loved, that has a cinematic feel to it, is Shih-Li Kow's "Zirafah". This short story is not your typical horror fest. It's more heartfelt than heart-stopping. I even figured out the twist before coming to the end. But again, I love good writing and even if the ending dawned on me earlier, I enjoyed the journey it took to get me there. A somewhat wholesome ending to a horror anthology!
There are quite a few more short stories I really liked but these are my favourites from this anthology. Quite a number of dead children and unexpected twists in this short story collection! I won't give out too much details but if you like horror stories that are distinctly Malaysian, you will like this anthology.
Although my story is pretty much under the categories urban fantasy and horror, a lot of the entries in this anthology are inspired from classic Malaysian monster lore and familiar horror tropes. There are the usual Malay ghosts and monsters like pontianak and toyol but there are also a few that I'm not personally familiar with like the spectre huntsmen in Tunku Halim's opener story. The ghost stories in here have a very Malaysian flavour. I also like the recurring theme of people becoming exposed to creepy otherworldly creatures thanks to their pesky older relatives dabbling in the supernatural. Thanks for the inheritance, dead family members!
But let's go straight to my favourite stories from this anthology. Right off the bat, Golda Mowe's "A Visitor at Dusk" is a creepy revenge story that's downright eerie. It's easy to stick a ghost in a story and call it a ghost story but one that actually gives you goosebumps? So, if you want something that makes your skin crawl, this is the one to read. Also, I read Fixi Novo's Chronicles of KK and just had to ask: what's up with Sabahans and ?? There is one too many stories! I also really enjoyed Paul GnanaSelvam's story "The Umbrella Exit". Paul takes a common Malaysian horror trope, the Hungry Ghost Festival, and gives it a mysterious aura that's really fascinating. In fact, the "monster" feels quite exotic and the dreamlike nature of the story easily makes this a memorable story for me. I especially love the fact that the setting is on a train. I think Paul is one of the local writers to watch.
William Tham's "Heirloom" is also another interesting take on a familiar Malaysian horror trope: toyol. That's not really a spoiler because the story itself is how its main character tries to get rid of this creature and loses everything in the process. It is part horror and part thriller with a dash of political intrigue. I love the way it is written as we are seamlessly pushed around from the present time to the past and back again. This story could easily be a movie feature and I would watch it. Another short story that I loved, that has a cinematic feel to it, is Shih-Li Kow's "Zirafah". This short story is not your typical horror fest. It's more heartfelt than heart-stopping. I even figured out the twist before coming to the end. But again, I love good writing and even if the ending dawned on me earlier, I enjoyed the journey it took to get me there. A somewhat wholesome ending to a horror anthology!
There are quite a few more short stories I really liked but these are my favourites from this anthology. Quite a number of dead children and unexpected twists in this short story collection! I won't give out too much details but if you like horror stories that are distinctly Malaysian, you will like this anthology.
May 27, 2019
Buku yang sangat menarik.. Kisah seram yang disampaikan dalam bahasa Inggeris terasa lebih seram.. Tak tahu kenapa tapi memang meremang semasa baca buku ini.. sebab tu amik masa sikit nak habis.. dari bulan 3 hari tu, ini baru habis..
May 28, 2023
Brilliant stories and a very enjoyable read!
Two particular stories (Twins of Rumahku and The Moth of Pearl Hill) stood out to this reader. Perfect plot, immersive mood that draws one in, and very smooth writing. The Umbrella Exit as well, for its beautiful and comprehensive description and unique take on the quintessential, iconic Malaysian supernatural femme fatale!
The other stories are excellent as well, apologies if they are not mentioned!
Apologies if this reader's lack of eloquence does insufficient justice to this very excellent book!
Do check it out!
Two particular stories (Twins of Rumahku and The Moth of Pearl Hill) stood out to this reader. Perfect plot, immersive mood that draws one in, and very smooth writing. The Umbrella Exit as well, for its beautiful and comprehensive description and unique take on the quintessential, iconic Malaysian supernatural femme fatale!
The other stories are excellent as well, apologies if they are not mentioned!
Apologies if this reader's lack of eloquence does insufficient justice to this very excellent book!
Do check it out!
February 5, 2020
I discovered some interesting stories in this collection. Tok La's Gift, Hard As Nail, Heirloom & Zirafah offered different types of conflicts, plot arc and perspectives. The rest has stale horror vibes but are equally good as well. Hard As Nail has great potential in it but the story ends abruptly with a cliffhanger. I was expecting the author to elaborate more on the paranormal relationships between Din and the ghost.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews