Another Avatar

by S.P. Somtow

Selected for the Best American Science Fiction and Fantasy 2020 anthology, this urban contemporary fantasy novella by World Fantasy Award-winning author S.P. Somtow tells the story of Kris, a boy growing up in a Catholic orphanage in the slums of Bangkok, who learns that he is actually the final incarnation of the Hindu God Vishnu and must battle the dragon Jade to keep the world green. The first in a series, Another Avatar tells how Kris blunders into discovering his identity after sneaking out to a midnight funeral, catching a god in the act of stealing bananas from the orphanage kitchen, and accidentally fixing the lottery.


"Somtow is the J.D. Salinger of Siam!" - George Axelrod, screenwriter of Breakfast at Tiffany's


Author of over seventy books like Jasmine Nights, Mallworld, and Vampire Junction, composer of a number of widely admired operas such as Dan no Ura, Helena Citr�nov�, and The Silent Prince, S.P. alternates between his homes in Los Angeles and Bangkok. In 2017, he became the first Asian to be awarded the European Cultural Achievement Award, given by the KulturForum in Berlin to one person each year, a nod to his many accomplishments in music and literature as a bridge between Asian and Western cultures.

Genres: Short Stories

104 pages, Paperback

First published July 22, 2020

About the author

Called by the Bangkok Post "the Thai person known by name to most people in the world," S.P. Somtow is an author, composer, filmmaker, and international media personality whose dazzling talents and acerbic wit have entertained and enlightened fans the world over.

He was Somtow Papinian Sucharitkul in Bangkok. His grandfather's sister was a Queen of Siam, his father is a well known international lawyer and vice-president of the International Academy of Human Rights. Somtow was educated at Eton and Cambridge, and his first career was in music. In the 1970s (while he was still in college) his works were being performed on four continents and he was named representative of Thailand to the Asian Composer's League and to the International Music Commission of UNESCO. His avant-garde compositions caused controversy and scandal in his native country, and a severe case of musical burnout in the late 1970s precipitated his entry into a second career - that of author.

He began writing science fiction, but soon started to invade other fields of writing, with some 40 books out now, including the clasic horror novel Vampire Junction, which defined the "rock and roll vampire" concept for the 80s, the Riverrun Trilogy ("the finest new series of the 90's" - Locus) and the semi-autobiographical memoir Jasmine Nights. He has won or been nominated for dozens of major awards including the Bram Stoker Award, the John W. Campbell Award, the Hugo Award, and the World Fantasy Award.

Somtow has also made some incursions into filmmaking, directing the cult classic The Laughing Dead and the award winning art film Ill Met by Moonlight.

Reviews

[Ayon Ibrahim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Krit is young Thai orphan being raised in a catholic orphanage sandwiched between Buddhist and Hindu temples, and he is just like all his other orphan friends - well, except for the fact that is he a Chosen One. Using a first person stream-of-consciousness style, Somtow Papinian Sucharitkul (better known as S.P. Somtow) tells a masterful story of how it is revealed to him (and us) that Krit is one of 7 avatars existing on Earth currently, and that he has a long Hero's Journey ahead of him. The pacing is perfect - we start as confused as Krit but learn each new fantastical element together, with just enough time to mull it over before the next exciting tidbit is revealed. The fantasy is woven beautifully with both science and lovely descriptions of Bangkok street life and Thai culture. This was such a pleasure to read, and it is just the prologue novella to a series!

[Michael Beyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent book to start a series. It is a stream-of-consciousness first-person narrative told by a twelve-year old orphan boy from Thailand. The writing is masterful, packing a world full of details and thematic ideas in a relatively short novella. No detail is wasted. And yet, the fantasy elements that take over the story at the end (when Kris finally learns the truth about himself) are carefully unfolded before us over time. Even the minor characters are developed to an amazing degree in just a few words. The book is a little short on plot, but that is because it is setting things up for what appears to be a series of books to come. And now I am hooked. I strongly recommend this book.

[Rick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Included in The Best American Science Fiction and Fantasy 2020, this novella is actually the first part of series from one of my favorite authors, Somtow Sucharitkul aka S.P. Somtow. It starts out as cute little tale of a cheeky orphan boy living in a Catholic orphanage in Bangkok, but just as things start getting interesting - it comes to an end. More Mr. Somtow! More!

[Sarah SuchAs Seals · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holy carp this was so good! I need more- please tell me there’s more!
The story starts out a little slow, but then it soars! Have I mentioned that I want more??

[Dria · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very fun, funny, and blessedly un-Western fantasy. You feel from the first pages this is building up a story that could very well last thousands of pages, and I'm super excited to see all of them!

[Spencer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun and witty. Characters, plot, and context all have lovely and often surprising details that make this highly fantastical short story feel immersive and real.

[Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really hope this is the beginning of a full novel/series because I want more!

[Cathy T · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first book of the series follows Kris as he discovers his true identity.

[Jason · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good start, but as far as I know the rest of the story still hasn't been published.