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Absolution #1
Amok
What is faith, except hope in desperation?
All Putera Mikal wants is to gain the Amok Strength, the supernatural power granted by Kudus to the Mahan royal family. No matter how religiously Mikal keeps his vows, Kudus still denies him the Strength—whilst his father, Sultan Simson, flaunts the Strength despite his blatant defiance of the Temple and the priests’ visions of coming doom.
Then the prophecies come true.
Taken captive, Mikal must find a way to liberate his people and restore his throne in Maha—and the key to this is the Amok Strength. But what does it take to gain Kudus’ favour?
All Putera Mikal wants is to gain the Amok Strength, the supernatural power granted by Kudus to the Mahan royal family. No matter how religiously Mikal keeps his vows, Kudus still denies him the Strength—whilst his father, Sultan Simson, flaunts the Strength despite his blatant defiance of the Temple and the priests’ visions of coming doom.
Then the prophecies come true.
Taken captive, Mikal must find a way to liberate his people and restore his throne in Maha—and the key to this is the Amok Strength. But what does it take to gain Kudus’ favour?
345 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 1, 2021
1 person is currently reading
136 people want to read
About the author
Anna Tan
32 books177 followersAnna Tan grew up in Malaysia, the country that is not Singapore. She writes fantastical stories and fairy tales, and has short stories included in various anthologies. She helps people publish books at Teaspoon Publishing, which includes yelling at HTML for epub reasons. She is also the editor of NutMag, an annual zine published for and by MYWriters Penang.
Anna has an MA in Creative Writing: The Novel under a Chevening scholarship and is the current President of the Malaysian Writers Society. She is interested in Malay/Nusantara and Chinese legends and folklore in exploring the intersection of language, culture, and faith. She can be found tweeting as @natzers and forgetting to update annatsp.com.
Anna has an MA in Creative Writing: The Novel under a Chevening scholarship and is the current President of the Malaysian Writers Society. She is interested in Malay/Nusantara and Chinese legends and folklore in exploring the intersection of language, culture, and faith. She can be found tweeting as @natzers and forgetting to update annatsp.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
June 20, 2022
Read for SPFBO 8.
Amok follows Putera Mikal, the young prince of Maha, on his journey to fulfill a prophecy. He firmly believes in religious dogma and hopes that Kudos, his god, will grant him access to the Amok Strength that all royals are supposed to possess when they come of age. But no matter what he does, he remains weak, while his father, Sultan Simson, enjoys power despite his blatant disregard for the Temple.
After tragic events, Putera is captured, and he must figure out how to liberate his people.
Much of the story follows Putera's struggles in his new circumstances. Without spoiling, he was betrayed by someone he trusted completely and turned into a servant. His god seems deaf to his pleas and prayers. The story is fast-paced and focused. Thematically, it deals with faith, the nature of friendship put to the test and rebellion.
As the main character, Putera is rather irritating. Yes, he's young and lost everything in a single night, but his whining and complaining are rather annoying. He also doesn't seem particularly bright for most of the story. That's not to say he's not growing as a character, but it takes a long time to warm up to him.
I liked the Malaysian elements woven into the narrative and the idea that the power of Simson lies within his hair. Terang is made up of three city-states: Maha, Suci, and Impian. And each of these city-states has its own leader and its own magical gifts from Kudus. Overall, the worldbuilding is solid and interesting, though rather shallow.
With its focus on the protagonist's growth and action, Amok will appeal to fans of action-oriented stories. On the other hand, it probably won't engage fans of deep world-building and genuinely complex characters.
Amok follows Putera Mikal, the young prince of Maha, on his journey to fulfill a prophecy. He firmly believes in religious dogma and hopes that Kudos, his god, will grant him access to the Amok Strength that all royals are supposed to possess when they come of age. But no matter what he does, he remains weak, while his father, Sultan Simson, enjoys power despite his blatant disregard for the Temple.
After tragic events, Putera is captured, and he must figure out how to liberate his people.
Much of the story follows Putera's struggles in his new circumstances. Without spoiling, he was betrayed by someone he trusted completely and turned into a servant. His god seems deaf to his pleas and prayers. The story is fast-paced and focused. Thematically, it deals with faith, the nature of friendship put to the test and rebellion.
As the main character, Putera is rather irritating. Yes, he's young and lost everything in a single night, but his whining and complaining are rather annoying. He also doesn't seem particularly bright for most of the story. That's not to say he's not growing as a character, but it takes a long time to warm up to him.
I liked the Malaysian elements woven into the narrative and the idea that the power of Simson lies within his hair. Terang is made up of three city-states: Maha, Suci, and Impian. And each of these city-states has its own leader and its own magical gifts from Kudus. Overall, the worldbuilding is solid and interesting, though rather shallow.
With its focus on the protagonist's growth and action, Amok will appeal to fans of action-oriented stories. On the other hand, it probably won't engage fans of deep world-building and genuinely complex characters.
May 24, 2021
I couldn't stop reading this– I LOVE EVERY SINGLE PART OF IT. I'M SO EXCITED FOR THIS TO BE RELEASED!
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Amok follows the story of Putera Mikal, the prince of Maha, the first city-state of Terang. All Putera Mikal wanted was for his faith to be acknowledged by Kudus, the God of Terang, and finally gain access to the Amok Strength that all royals are supposed to possess when they come of age. Yet no matter how Mikal kept his vows to Kudus, he was still weak, while his father who defied Kudus continued to flaunt his Amok Strength.
When Maha was suddenly invaded and destroyed by their enemy, Mikal was thrown into sufferings and humiliation—especially when his best friend, Yosua, who used to be his servant, was suddenly revealed to be the enemy's Raja Muda (Crown Prince). And Mikal was forced to bow and turned into Yosua's servant. And no matter how much Mikal prayed, Kudus continuously denied the Amok Strength from him.
I just want to take a short moment to express my appreciation towards the elements of Malay traditions and cultures that were included in Amok. Reading so many Malay words and things like silat (a Malay art of self-defence), our clothings like baju kebaya and samping, titles/positions like Baginda Paduka, Bendahara, Laksamana, etc.—they all felt so close to my heart. They made me enjoy reading the book, and feel proud at the same time to finally see my traditions in a fantasy book.
Amok is quite a fast-paced read and I could not put it down as I kept wanting more of it. One moment, Putera Mikal was only whining because he could not gain the Amok Strength and the rest were at peace, but the next moment, he was betrayed by his very own best friend. It was easy to like Mikal; despite never having enough confidence in himself, he always tried his best for the sake of his people. There were times where he could be seen as a brat, but who can blame him? He was turned from a prince into a servant overnight, and to made it worse, he had to be his best friend's servant.
I loved Yosua from the moment he first appeared in the story. Unlike Mikal who was reckless and rough around the edges, Yosua is softer and much more patient than his prince. Just like Mikal, his position was changed overnight too, from being a servant, to being his best friend's Tuan (Master). Their friendship was put to a terrible test, because unlike in Maha, Yosua's people were more savage and cruel to their servants. In order to keep Mikal safe, Yosua has to play the role as a cruel Tuan. His fierce loyalty towards Mikal rather surprised me, but it still did not change the fact that he had betrayed Mikal.
Apart from Mikal's growth throughout the story, Amok also focused on the bond between Mikal and Yosua. I think there was nothing more heartbreaking than Mikal being abused by someone that used to be his confidant, someone that he used to consider as a brother. Mikal was broken to the point he lost all hope that left him as an empty shell, and at the same time, Yosua was torn apart because it was the only way to protect Mikal. It was agonising to see these two boys, forced to suffer the consequences of the actions made by adults. The amount of violence and abuse can be rather traumatising, and I find myself gasping and shaking when reading these parts.
I believe that the religion in this story was inspired by certain elements in the teachings of Islam and Christianity, perhaps even including bits of other religion. But I am glad to say that the author wrote it well without disrespecting any of the mentioned religions. The source of power for the Maha royalty's Amok Strength and the fate of Mikal's father were also similar to the story of Samson—who appears in the Old Testament of the Bible—an exceptionally strong hero of the Israelites of the ancient Near East. (More on that here: http://www.mythencyclopedia.com/Pr-Sa...)
Amok is a story of questionable faith, unending loyalty and hopeless rebellion in a war, all caused by the greed of someone with huge power. The writing style is impeccable, and I honestly loved every single part of the story with my whole heart. Although there were a lot of pain, the story was concluded very well. If you enjoy reading fantasy that focuses on the growth of the main character, friendship that are put to test in a terrible condition, powerless princes and changed positions (which is now my favourite trope), then Amok is perfect for you!
Wait, you know what? Whatever your reading preferences is, I am definitely recommending this book to you. This is a book that no one should miss!
Many thanks to the author, Anna Tan, and Teaspoon Publishing for the e-ARC copy in exchange for my honest review.
[This review is also posted on https://www.mermaird.com/2021/05/cove...]
---
Amok follows the story of Putera Mikal, the prince of Maha, the first city-state of Terang. All Putera Mikal wanted was for his faith to be acknowledged by Kudus, the God of Terang, and finally gain access to the Amok Strength that all royals are supposed to possess when they come of age. Yet no matter how Mikal kept his vows to Kudus, he was still weak, while his father who defied Kudus continued to flaunt his Amok Strength.
When Maha was suddenly invaded and destroyed by their enemy, Mikal was thrown into sufferings and humiliation—especially when his best friend, Yosua, who used to be his servant, was suddenly revealed to be the enemy's Raja Muda (Crown Prince). And Mikal was forced to bow and turned into Yosua's servant. And no matter how much Mikal prayed, Kudus continuously denied the Amok Strength from him.
I just want to take a short moment to express my appreciation towards the elements of Malay traditions and cultures that were included in Amok. Reading so many Malay words and things like silat (a Malay art of self-defence), our clothings like baju kebaya and samping, titles/positions like Baginda Paduka, Bendahara, Laksamana, etc.—they all felt so close to my heart. They made me enjoy reading the book, and feel proud at the same time to finally see my traditions in a fantasy book.
Amok is quite a fast-paced read and I could not put it down as I kept wanting more of it. One moment, Putera Mikal was only whining because he could not gain the Amok Strength and the rest were at peace, but the next moment, he was betrayed by his very own best friend. It was easy to like Mikal; despite never having enough confidence in himself, he always tried his best for the sake of his people. There were times where he could be seen as a brat, but who can blame him? He was turned from a prince into a servant overnight, and to made it worse, he had to be his best friend's servant.
I loved Yosua from the moment he first appeared in the story. Unlike Mikal who was reckless and rough around the edges, Yosua is softer and much more patient than his prince. Just like Mikal, his position was changed overnight too, from being a servant, to being his best friend's Tuan (Master). Their friendship was put to a terrible test, because unlike in Maha, Yosua's people were more savage and cruel to their servants. In order to keep Mikal safe, Yosua has to play the role as a cruel Tuan. His fierce loyalty towards Mikal rather surprised me, but it still did not change the fact that he had betrayed Mikal.
Apart from Mikal's growth throughout the story, Amok also focused on the bond between Mikal and Yosua. I think there was nothing more heartbreaking than Mikal being abused by someone that used to be his confidant, someone that he used to consider as a brother. Mikal was broken to the point he lost all hope that left him as an empty shell, and at the same time, Yosua was torn apart because it was the only way to protect Mikal. It was agonising to see these two boys, forced to suffer the consequences of the actions made by adults. The amount of violence and abuse can be rather traumatising, and I find myself gasping and shaking when reading these parts.
I believe that the religion in this story was inspired by certain elements in the teachings of Islam and Christianity, perhaps even including bits of other religion. But I am glad to say that the author wrote it well without disrespecting any of the mentioned religions. The source of power for the Maha royalty's Amok Strength and the fate of Mikal's father were also similar to the story of Samson—who appears in the Old Testament of the Bible—an exceptionally strong hero of the Israelites of the ancient Near East. (More on that here: http://www.mythencyclopedia.com/Pr-Sa...)
Amok is a story of questionable faith, unending loyalty and hopeless rebellion in a war, all caused by the greed of someone with huge power. The writing style is impeccable, and I honestly loved every single part of the story with my whole heart. Although there were a lot of pain, the story was concluded very well. If you enjoy reading fantasy that focuses on the growth of the main character, friendship that are put to test in a terrible condition, powerless princes and changed positions (which is now my favourite trope), then Amok is perfect for you!
Wait, you know what? Whatever your reading preferences is, I am definitely recommending this book to you. This is a book that no one should miss!
Many thanks to the author, Anna Tan, and Teaspoon Publishing for the e-ARC copy in exchange for my honest review.
[This review is also posted on https://www.mermaird.com/2021/05/cove...]
June 22, 2021
With elements reminiscent of the Bible story of Samson, Anna Tan creates a stunning fantasy tale of love, betrayal, courage, and faith. The story is told from the perspective of fifteen-year-old Mikal ayell Simson, only son of Sultan Simson of Maha, the ruler of Terang. Simson’s Amok Strength is a gift from Kudus (God) and flows from him to members of the military. It protects Terang and passes down through the generations from father to son. But Mikal has a problem. Though the Amok Strength flowed to his father at a young age, it has not yet manifested in Mikal.
Mikal’s father plans to marry Permaisuri Layla Regis Ishi, the newly-crowned queen of Bayangan, Terang’s historical enemy. He plans to unify Terang and Bayangan and cement good relations between the ancient foes through the union. But, like Deliah in the Bible, Layla has other plans.
I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. Having read it on Kindle, I now plan to purchase the paperback. It is that good! (And the cover is gorgeous.) I want this on my shelf. Ms. Tan’s prose is flawless and beautiful with a perfect mix of narrative and dialogue as well as plot-driven action and character development. Told in first person, present tense I experienced every event along with Mikal.
Do not let the unusual terms (at least for me they were unusual) drive you away from reading Amok. There is a glossary in the back if necessary. I never needed to use it as Ms. Tan’s story flows so well, the titles and other foreign words made sense within the context as I read. Her selection of terms allows for a wonderful Asian fantasy feel to the novel, while at the same time, the tale remains accessible to western YA readers and teens, as well as older folks like me.
Though there is some violence, it is not graphic or glorified, just appropriate to the plot. There is no sex or—thank goodness—no love triangle. Instead, there is friendship that survives and grows despite all the world would throw against it.
I highly recommend Amok. If I could give it more stars, I would.
Mikal’s father plans to marry Permaisuri Layla Regis Ishi, the newly-crowned queen of Bayangan, Terang’s historical enemy. He plans to unify Terang and Bayangan and cement good relations between the ancient foes through the union. But, like Deliah in the Bible, Layla has other plans.
I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. Having read it on Kindle, I now plan to purchase the paperback. It is that good! (And the cover is gorgeous.) I want this on my shelf. Ms. Tan’s prose is flawless and beautiful with a perfect mix of narrative and dialogue as well as plot-driven action and character development. Told in first person, present tense I experienced every event along with Mikal.
Do not let the unusual terms (at least for me they were unusual) drive you away from reading Amok. There is a glossary in the back if necessary. I never needed to use it as Ms. Tan’s story flows so well, the titles and other foreign words made sense within the context as I read. Her selection of terms allows for a wonderful Asian fantasy feel to the novel, while at the same time, the tale remains accessible to western YA readers and teens, as well as older folks like me.
Though there is some violence, it is not graphic or glorified, just appropriate to the plot. There is no sex or—thank goodness—no love triangle. Instead, there is friendship that survives and grows despite all the world would throw against it.
I highly recommend Amok. If I could give it more stars, I would.
July 6, 2021
I finally finished reading the book Amok by Anna Tan and I am ready to provide ya’ll with an in-depth and HOPEFULLY SPOILER FREE REVIEW.
Before we start, I would like to thank Anna Tan and Teaspoon Publishing for providing me with this ARC in return for an honest review. Let’s get started ladies and gents!
Amok tells the story of Prince Mikal, Prince of Maha, first city-state of Terang and his struggles in faith to their God Kudus due to the fact that he has yet to come into his Amok strength powers. The Amok strength is a legendary power that all royals can gain access to once they come of age (mind you Mikal is 15 at the start of the book). But no matter how much he keeps his vows and does what he is supposed to do nothing has changed and he still has yet to gain any Amok strength.
Then some BAMBOOZLEMENT happens! Where Maha is invaded and destroyed by their enemies and the people of Maha, royalty included is thrown into a life rife with suffering and humiliation where one does not know who is friend nor foe. How will Mikal overcome this obstacle and gain back his honour, his pride and his rightful place in Maha as Maha’s royal Prince.
DUN DUN DUNNNNNN
If you follow me on my bookstagram (do follow me guys if you haven’t, links down in the description) you would kind of realize I took issue with one and ONLY ONE aspect of this book and that aspect was my utter disdain and annoyance with the main character Prince Mikal.
OMG I DONT EVEN KNOW WHEREEEE TO BEGIN WITH ANNOYANCE WITH HIM.
Ok ok I will chill and talk about other aspects of the book first.
Push my disdain for the main character aside, I actually really enjoyed this book. The writing is great and reeled me in like I was a fish on a hook, floundering around trying to understand my own roller-coaster of emotions as I was reading this book.
I liked the Malay phrases as well as the Malay elements used in the books makes me feel included you know, because duh I’m Malay (Sarawakian Malay but whatever still Malay). It was so much fun reading how the men practiced silat, they used keris and parang to fight, seeing how they used baju kebaya and samping along with calling people according to their titles such as Baginda Paduka, Laksamana etc because let’s be totally honest who uses those terms now in their daily life? (unless you work with the sultan I guess but for everyday people you dont really call people Laksamana do you?)
The plot was awesome… really kept you at the edge of your seat and when some characters that I liked died I did feel the pain of loss because you want them to survive. You want them to be able to overcome this enormous adversity and go home and be happy.
But alas, like I said previously, the enjoyment of this book I could not fully savour due to my problems with the main character.
.
The main issue I have with Prince Mikal is the fact that he is mostly self-centered, entitled, privileged and the most whiny character I have ever read. Yes, you can make a defense saying that he is a child and whilst I agree 15 in our modern standards is still a baby but back then 15 you are already considered a man and mature plus he is a Prince. Mikal isn’t an ordinary boy, he is a Prince with responsibilities attached to that royal bloodline of his and yet because we read this book from his perspective all I saw was an entitled and spoiled Prince who needs to have everything given and delivered to him on a silver platter.
Not only that, my god, is he stupid. He is so absolutely idiotic.
I say this because Prince Mikal has become a prisoner of war and is now a slave for his former servant Yosua. Not once did he ever think to pretend to be a slave/pretend to be broken and humble himself so he could learn the enemy’s routines and memorise the relative map of the enemy’s land which in turn could help him devise a way to escape. Something ya know, anything, but no all we read for pages on end is just Prince Mikal constantly… CONSTANTLY… complaining why me, why didn’t I get my Amok strength, why is this happening to me, this is not fair, always about him and his predicament.
First few weeks I get it man you’re in shock and you dont know whats going on what’s going to happen but as a Prince that must have had some sort of training like get your shit together man. Devise a plan. Like okay, right now you’re in this predicament how will you get yourself outside of said predicament which reminds me that Prince Mikal is a reactive character.
Things happen to him, the plot moves him along instead of him making decisions that affect the plot. This happens for most of the book where shit just happens to Mikal and he would complain about it to no end. It is towards the end of the book, I would say the last 100-200 pages he changes into a more proactive character but by then it was too late for me.
Also, kan, he keeps complaining Kudus left him la, doesn’t love him la, this and that… sikit-sikit lost faith… ITS SO FUCKING ANNOYING… I GET IT LIFE IS HARD BUT THIS IS A FUCKING TEST FROM GOD… You think God when he tests you he just gives something that you can easily overcome especially for a person like Mikal who follows everything by the book but doesn’t truly have faith. He says he does and he says he has an epiphany and he will change and have more faith and truly follow Kudus (which to be honest with you gave me hope for him I wanted to like him damn it!) but then some small shit happens and Mikal is back to being that whiny punk that doesn’t have two brain cells to rub together and is all like omg Kudus why you left me, how could you Kudus, are you even real? MALAS AKU EH ORG KDAK TOK… PADAH TEK CAYAK AN KUDUS TAPI IDUP SUSAH SIKIT ALU LOST FAITH BAGUS SIK PAYAH EH… BAGUS SIK PAYAHHHHHH… AISH SETAN BENA
I gotta calm down… I gotta chill.. This wasn’t supposed to be a rant review…I cannot delve further into this without going into spoilers so I will just continue to my next issue.
This issue isn’t so much a deal breaker, it’s just confusing and that is the loyalty that Yosua has for Mikal. I dont get it… sometimes its borderline romantic so I am not sure if the author is queer-baiting or I am just not used to this type of unexplainable loyalty.
This is because you don’t get to see the why of the loyalty, Mikal says that they grew up together and are best friends but that’s the thing, you have to wholeheartedly believe what Mikal says. You don’t get to see it unfold. You don’t see other characters talk upon how close they are and the background for it. There is no concrete foundation that you as a reader can see and understand the why.
I had a microscopic problem with the magic system of the book. It’s not bad, I just wanted more explanation on how it worked, who gets what etc because it was pretty loose so you have to use a lot of your imagination to fill in the blanks.
Again, I have to reiterate, everything else in this book chefs kiss… the writing SUPERB! IF EVEN THE WRITING PUN I DON’T LIKE TRUST ME FAM I WOULD’VE DNF’ED THAT SHIT but I didn’t because the writing is genuinely good. Plot also BOMBASTIC! It’s just the main character that was meh for me, maybe it’s because I am 28 and had to be the breadwinner of my family for the longest time and had to hold that amount of responsibility that when I see a whiny character that doesn’t even try to improve their own situation by any means necessary I truly cannot empathise.
Thus, concludes my review for the ARC Amok by Anna Tan and again my review is my own and is only focused on the book and NOT the author
Before we start, I would like to thank Anna Tan and Teaspoon Publishing for providing me with this ARC in return for an honest review. Let’s get started ladies and gents!
Amok tells the story of Prince Mikal, Prince of Maha, first city-state of Terang and his struggles in faith to their God Kudus due to the fact that he has yet to come into his Amok strength powers. The Amok strength is a legendary power that all royals can gain access to once they come of age (mind you Mikal is 15 at the start of the book). But no matter how much he keeps his vows and does what he is supposed to do nothing has changed and he still has yet to gain any Amok strength.
Then some BAMBOOZLEMENT happens! Where Maha is invaded and destroyed by their enemies and the people of Maha, royalty included is thrown into a life rife with suffering and humiliation where one does not know who is friend nor foe. How will Mikal overcome this obstacle and gain back his honour, his pride and his rightful place in Maha as Maha’s royal Prince.
DUN DUN DUNNNNNN
If you follow me on my bookstagram (do follow me guys if you haven’t, links down in the description) you would kind of realize I took issue with one and ONLY ONE aspect of this book and that aspect was my utter disdain and annoyance with the main character Prince Mikal.
OMG I DONT EVEN KNOW WHEREEEE TO BEGIN WITH ANNOYANCE WITH HIM.
Ok ok I will chill and talk about other aspects of the book first.
Push my disdain for the main character aside, I actually really enjoyed this book. The writing is great and reeled me in like I was a fish on a hook, floundering around trying to understand my own roller-coaster of emotions as I was reading this book.
I liked the Malay phrases as well as the Malay elements used in the books makes me feel included you know, because duh I’m Malay (Sarawakian Malay but whatever still Malay). It was so much fun reading how the men practiced silat, they used keris and parang to fight, seeing how they used baju kebaya and samping along with calling people according to their titles such as Baginda Paduka, Laksamana etc because let’s be totally honest who uses those terms now in their daily life? (unless you work with the sultan I guess but for everyday people you dont really call people Laksamana do you?)
The plot was awesome… really kept you at the edge of your seat and when some characters that I liked died I did feel the pain of loss because you want them to survive. You want them to be able to overcome this enormous adversity and go home and be happy.
But alas, like I said previously, the enjoyment of this book I could not fully savour due to my problems with the main character.
.
The main issue I have with Prince Mikal is the fact that he is mostly self-centered, entitled, privileged and the most whiny character I have ever read. Yes, you can make a defense saying that he is a child and whilst I agree 15 in our modern standards is still a baby but back then 15 you are already considered a man and mature plus he is a Prince. Mikal isn’t an ordinary boy, he is a Prince with responsibilities attached to that royal bloodline of his and yet because we read this book from his perspective all I saw was an entitled and spoiled Prince who needs to have everything given and delivered to him on a silver platter.
Not only that, my god, is he stupid. He is so absolutely idiotic.
I say this because Prince Mikal has become a prisoner of war and is now a slave for his former servant Yosua. Not once did he ever think to pretend to be a slave/pretend to be broken and humble himself so he could learn the enemy’s routines and memorise the relative map of the enemy’s land which in turn could help him devise a way to escape. Something ya know, anything, but no all we read for pages on end is just Prince Mikal constantly… CONSTANTLY… complaining why me, why didn’t I get my Amok strength, why is this happening to me, this is not fair, always about him and his predicament.
First few weeks I get it man you’re in shock and you dont know whats going on what’s going to happen but as a Prince that must have had some sort of training like get your shit together man. Devise a plan. Like okay, right now you’re in this predicament how will you get yourself outside of said predicament which reminds me that Prince Mikal is a reactive character.
Things happen to him, the plot moves him along instead of him making decisions that affect the plot. This happens for most of the book where shit just happens to Mikal and he would complain about it to no end. It is towards the end of the book, I would say the last 100-200 pages he changes into a more proactive character but by then it was too late for me.
Also, kan, he keeps complaining Kudus left him la, doesn’t love him la, this and that… sikit-sikit lost faith… ITS SO FUCKING ANNOYING… I GET IT LIFE IS HARD BUT THIS IS A FUCKING TEST FROM GOD… You think God when he tests you he just gives something that you can easily overcome especially for a person like Mikal who follows everything by the book but doesn’t truly have faith. He says he does and he says he has an epiphany and he will change and have more faith and truly follow Kudus (which to be honest with you gave me hope for him I wanted to like him damn it!) but then some small shit happens and Mikal is back to being that whiny punk that doesn’t have two brain cells to rub together and is all like omg Kudus why you left me, how could you Kudus, are you even real? MALAS AKU EH ORG KDAK TOK… PADAH TEK CAYAK AN KUDUS TAPI IDUP SUSAH SIKIT ALU LOST FAITH BAGUS SIK PAYAH EH… BAGUS SIK PAYAHHHHHH… AISH SETAN BENA
I gotta calm down… I gotta chill.. This wasn’t supposed to be a rant review…I cannot delve further into this without going into spoilers so I will just continue to my next issue.
This issue isn’t so much a deal breaker, it’s just confusing and that is the loyalty that Yosua has for Mikal. I dont get it… sometimes its borderline romantic so I am not sure if the author is queer-baiting or I am just not used to this type of unexplainable loyalty.
This is because you don’t get to see the why of the loyalty, Mikal says that they grew up together and are best friends but that’s the thing, you have to wholeheartedly believe what Mikal says. You don’t get to see it unfold. You don’t see other characters talk upon how close they are and the background for it. There is no concrete foundation that you as a reader can see and understand the why.
I had a microscopic problem with the magic system of the book. It’s not bad, I just wanted more explanation on how it worked, who gets what etc because it was pretty loose so you have to use a lot of your imagination to fill in the blanks.
Again, I have to reiterate, everything else in this book chefs kiss… the writing SUPERB! IF EVEN THE WRITING PUN I DON’T LIKE TRUST ME FAM I WOULD’VE DNF’ED THAT SHIT but I didn’t because the writing is genuinely good. Plot also BOMBASTIC! It’s just the main character that was meh for me, maybe it’s because I am 28 and had to be the breadwinner of my family for the longest time and had to hold that amount of responsibility that when I see a whiny character that doesn’t even try to improve their own situation by any means necessary I truly cannot empathise.
Thus, concludes my review for the ARC Amok by Anna Tan and again my review is my own and is only focused on the book and NOT the author
April 25, 2022
Firstly, what a gorgeous cover! A book with a cover like this deserves to attract attention.
Secondly, I have to confess I can't remember ever reading a fantasy world with a Malaysian inspired setting and it is a refreshing change. Obviously fantasies don't have to be set in medieval Europe and I'm not sure now why I haven't read more set in Asia. The kingdoms in 'Amok' felt like real possible places with lots of details adding to this authenticity. There is fortunately a glossary at the back if you get lost in the new words.
Thirdly, there is lots to engage the reader here - political intrigue, betrayal, prophecy, faith and a marriage alliance with neighboring enemy country. It is also worth noting that the relationship between the prince and his slave becomes flipped creating an interesting dynamic.
Fourthly, there are echoes of the bible here and a faith journey but the story stands on its own.
Overall, this has an intriguing story-line set in a unique world and is well worth reading.
Secondly, I have to confess I can't remember ever reading a fantasy world with a Malaysian inspired setting and it is a refreshing change. Obviously fantasies don't have to be set in medieval Europe and I'm not sure now why I haven't read more set in Asia. The kingdoms in 'Amok' felt like real possible places with lots of details adding to this authenticity. There is fortunately a glossary at the back if you get lost in the new words.
Thirdly, there is lots to engage the reader here - political intrigue, betrayal, prophecy, faith and a marriage alliance with neighboring enemy country. It is also worth noting that the relationship between the prince and his slave becomes flipped creating an interesting dynamic.
Fourthly, there are echoes of the bible here and a faith journey but the story stands on its own.
Overall, this has an intriguing story-line set in a unique world and is well worth reading.
September 1, 2021
Amok by Anna Tan is an amazing tale that follows Putera Mikal as he attempts to obtain redemption and restore his faith to the god, Kudus. He journeys through whirlwind events in order to bring back the land of Maha back to its restored glory. I absolutely had so much fun reading this book from beginning to end and this is the kind of book that I would like to recommend every Malaysians to pick up!
Somehow, subconsciously I've always thought to myself that I wanted to read this kind of book and once even thought that this is the kind of book I would like to write about. But somehow Anna Tan has beat me to it with a fantastical world building that is so rich and really just screams Malaysia.
The thing that enamoured me to pick this book up the most is the stunning cover and as one of my friends recommended, I just knew I had to get it. I really hoped that I would love it and I'm so happy that I enjoyed it so much. The characters are interesting especially Putera Mikal who seems to be on the fence to inherit the throne of Maha and everyone else too plays a huge role throughout the story.
The story isn't really fast paced and it isn't slow either but I am very intrigued to see how the story might progress. The concept is very unique too, especially the Amok strength and their faith to Kudus. Though I feel that it ended too soon and I would absolutely love it if the author could release a sequel soon because I need more out of this amazing story.
I think everyone really should go and read this book and hope that you'll end up enjoying it too. It is truly like none other book you'll read ever read which makes me love this book so much and absolutely cannot recommend it enough to everyone out there.
Somehow, subconsciously I've always thought to myself that I wanted to read this kind of book and once even thought that this is the kind of book I would like to write about. But somehow Anna Tan has beat me to it with a fantastical world building that is so rich and really just screams Malaysia.
The thing that enamoured me to pick this book up the most is the stunning cover and as one of my friends recommended, I just knew I had to get it. I really hoped that I would love it and I'm so happy that I enjoyed it so much. The characters are interesting especially Putera Mikal who seems to be on the fence to inherit the throne of Maha and everyone else too plays a huge role throughout the story.
The story isn't really fast paced and it isn't slow either but I am very intrigued to see how the story might progress. The concept is very unique too, especially the Amok strength and their faith to Kudus. Though I feel that it ended too soon and I would absolutely love it if the author could release a sequel soon because I need more out of this amazing story.
I think everyone really should go and read this book and hope that you'll end up enjoying it too. It is truly like none other book you'll read ever read which makes me love this book so much and absolutely cannot recommend it enough to everyone out there.
May 18, 2021
Actual rating: 3.5
Sometimes I read books without any idea of what the book is about. This is one of the instances. This is also the first time I read a novel by the author, hence I had no idea of what kind stories she writes nor what kind of story this is.
Amok is set in a fictional country of Terang (with its 3 cities - Maha, Suci and Impian) and its nemesis, Bayangan. Terang has a culture and languange that sound like a mixture of Malay and Nusantara; with a fictional religion worshipping a god named Kudus. The story is about a 15 year-old crown prince named Putera Mikal and his longing for his father's recognition. It is also a story about revenge, trust and loyalty - between human kind and their creator, between master and servant, and between friends.
At the beginning of the novel, it took me a while to grasp the idea of the story especially with the various names and terms of the fantasy world of Maha. The glossary at the end of the book helps in understanding the background. But once I get into the middle of it, the plot became interesting despite how whining the protagonist is. He is after all just 15.
I also like how the novel ends despite how revenge is a never-ending business.
Thank you for the ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review.
July 5, 2022
WOW!!! You guys, just WOW!!! I really really enjoyed this one!! I tend to be pretty picky about my reads but this totally hit the spot 🫶
The narrative is unique and paces the story well! Mikal's struggles are immediately relatable to me: being told you're destined for great things while simultaneously being told you're not enough yet--- being pressured to do better, being kicked around, and being completely misunderstood. Sounds like life to me!
But Mikal isn't your typical hero. He fears greatly, tussles with his emotions, and speaks pessimistically. In short, he's *human*. I enjoyed seeing someone who struggles to pick themselves back up as it's so very real.
The Biblical aspects are fantastic too. They aren't overbearing or forced, they fit beautifully in with the tale and give readers a true sense of God and His mysterious yet loving and powerful ways. The story in itself is very akin (a re-telling I believe) to the story of Samson with some nods to the story of Joseph as well. It is tastefully done!
The addition of Malay culture is truly fascinating, too. It's a little tricky to keep up with terms at first but there's a super helpful glossary in the back. Once I got settled into the story, I didn't have to reference the glossary much or at all. I really love the addition of Malay words. I truly enjoyed learning about (although likely somewhat fantasized) culture!
❗Content Warnings ❗
One thing I wanted to mention is that this is a heavy read. While content is mild, it is still written well enough to give you an idea what's going on.
Content includes:
mildly graphic beatings (details are spared and scenes rarely last longer than a paragraph or two, but we see some reactions to what's happening)
undescriptive nudity (a few times the slaves are publicly humiliated through these means but no description is given of their nudity)
Mild cruelty (we see a character that has obviously been mistreated in ways not mentioned above but no details are given).
_________________________________
All in all, I definitely enjoyed this story! I really love the characters and enjoyed seeing them grow and change. I wish we could have gone a little deeper into some of the more emotional scenes---the ones where big events or surprising news shows up. But I still felt I knew the characters and could be close with them.
The narrative is unique and paces the story well! Mikal's struggles are immediately relatable to me: being told you're destined for great things while simultaneously being told you're not enough yet--- being pressured to do better, being kicked around, and being completely misunderstood. Sounds like life to me!
But Mikal isn't your typical hero. He fears greatly, tussles with his emotions, and speaks pessimistically. In short, he's *human*. I enjoyed seeing someone who struggles to pick themselves back up as it's so very real.
The Biblical aspects are fantastic too. They aren't overbearing or forced, they fit beautifully in with the tale and give readers a true sense of God and His mysterious yet loving and powerful ways. The story in itself is very akin (a re-telling I believe) to the story of Samson with some nods to the story of Joseph as well. It is tastefully done!
The addition of Malay culture is truly fascinating, too. It's a little tricky to keep up with terms at first but there's a super helpful glossary in the back. Once I got settled into the story, I didn't have to reference the glossary much or at all. I really love the addition of Malay words. I truly enjoyed learning about (although likely somewhat fantasized) culture!
❗Content Warnings ❗
One thing I wanted to mention is that this is a heavy read. While content is mild, it is still written well enough to give you an idea what's going on.
Content includes:
mildly graphic beatings (details are spared and scenes rarely last longer than a paragraph or two, but we see some reactions to what's happening)
undescriptive nudity (a few times the slaves are publicly humiliated through these means but no description is given of their nudity)
Mild cruelty (we see a character that has obviously been mistreated in ways not mentioned above but no details are given).
_________________________________
All in all, I definitely enjoyed this story! I really love the characters and enjoyed seeing them grow and change. I wish we could have gone a little deeper into some of the more emotional scenes---the ones where big events or surprising news shows up. But I still felt I knew the characters and could be close with them.
March 29, 2024
I'll write a review later. Just, amok in the story is in my opinion, nowhere near what mengamok means to most of us.
"O Kudus, Maha Esa, Berkatilah hambamu dengan kuasa ajaibmu".
Huh?
Okay. Contrary to what was shared with me by fellow readers of the book during a book discussion board recently, I wasn't at all bent into seeing Amok by Anna Tan as a Nusantara tale with Malay or Muslim characters. Albeit the prince wearing "samping embroidered with gold thread the symbol of the Mahan Sultanate", Nusantara names such as Temenggung Tok Yaakub Mikal's silat guru and the king's Balai Jemaah, Tok Ibrahim the Bendahara, Laksamana Rizal head of the navy, the Shahbandars sitting in Putera Mikal's Ayahanda Tuanku's Majlis Maha, silat training with keris, Sultan Simon proclaiming faith in Kudus and then losing faith because the holy spirit seems to ignore his asking to spare his wife's life, the chanting of doa, memorization of 'firman', etc etc, they are to me more pagans than one God believers. Contradicting elements of the above with; bell tolls calling for morning prayers from the temple, candles and incense, the Sultan and his would-be bride staying the night together prior to marriage, witchcraft-oriented purifying of mirrors to begin Jemaah sessions ... So, I wouldn't associate this story with anything Islamic, or base it on anything representing the Nusantara spirit. Read as you would a fictional fiction such as Harry Potters and the Lord of the Rings, and you could actually appreciate the author's offer for you to enjoy Amok.
It's a sort of royal superpower called Amok Strength. Nothing at all near what Hang Jebat did to avenge Hang Tuah. Is there a character good enough to be the hero in Amok? Gareth and his wife Marla for me.
I'm already in the second book of the series now.
"O Kudus, Maha Esa, Berkatilah hambamu dengan kuasa ajaibmu".
Huh?
Okay. Contrary to what was shared with me by fellow readers of the book during a book discussion board recently, I wasn't at all bent into seeing Amok by Anna Tan as a Nusantara tale with Malay or Muslim characters. Albeit the prince wearing "samping embroidered with gold thread the symbol of the Mahan Sultanate", Nusantara names such as Temenggung Tok Yaakub Mikal's silat guru and the king's Balai Jemaah, Tok Ibrahim the Bendahara, Laksamana Rizal head of the navy, the Shahbandars sitting in Putera Mikal's Ayahanda Tuanku's Majlis Maha, silat training with keris, Sultan Simon proclaiming faith in Kudus and then losing faith because the holy spirit seems to ignore his asking to spare his wife's life, the chanting of doa, memorization of 'firman', etc etc, they are to me more pagans than one God believers. Contradicting elements of the above with; bell tolls calling for morning prayers from the temple, candles and incense, the Sultan and his would-be bride staying the night together prior to marriage, witchcraft-oriented purifying of mirrors to begin Jemaah sessions ... So, I wouldn't associate this story with anything Islamic, or base it on anything representing the Nusantara spirit. Read as you would a fictional fiction such as Harry Potters and the Lord of the Rings, and you could actually appreciate the author's offer for you to enjoy Amok.
It's a sort of royal superpower called Amok Strength. Nothing at all near what Hang Jebat did to avenge Hang Tuah. Is there a character good enough to be the hero in Amok? Gareth and his wife Marla for me.
I'm already in the second book of the series now.
June 3, 2021
Amok by Anna Tan is a fantasy reimagining of the story of Sampson from the Bible. But this isn't a straight retelling, Sampson is more of a frame work to tell the story of Mikal the son of the Sampson stand-in.
I really loved Mikal's character. He has great motivation and his story, is compelling. He goes from being a prince to a slave, and I just couldn't help feeling for him. He goes on such an inner journey throughout this story that Mikal really does feel like a different character by the end.
The secondary character of Yoshua was just as compelling. He goes from being Mikal's servant to his new master. He is not the POV character so his arc feels more static, but even second hand you can still see how the plot shapes who he becomes.
Seeing their relationship flipped on its head gives the story a nice sense of symmetry.
The world building is a stand out feature of this book. Set in an Asian inspired fantasy world, the kingdoms of Maha and Bayangan are really well fleshed out and I feel like I could crack open a history book and learn about them.
The part of this book that stands out the most is that it has no romance at all. It was super refreshing to read a story without a will they won't they subplot. The character's in this story literally had much bigger problems.
If you're looking for something different from the typical medieval European fantasy then I highly recommend checking out Amok.
*Many thanks to the author who let me read an advanced copy of this book. This review is my own honest evaluation of the material.*
I really loved Mikal's character. He has great motivation and his story, is compelling. He goes from being a prince to a slave, and I just couldn't help feeling for him. He goes on such an inner journey throughout this story that Mikal really does feel like a different character by the end.
The secondary character of Yoshua was just as compelling. He goes from being Mikal's servant to his new master. He is not the POV character so his arc feels more static, but even second hand you can still see how the plot shapes who he becomes.
Seeing their relationship flipped on its head gives the story a nice sense of symmetry.
The world building is a stand out feature of this book. Set in an Asian inspired fantasy world, the kingdoms of Maha and Bayangan are really well fleshed out and I feel like I could crack open a history book and learn about them.
The part of this book that stands out the most is that it has no romance at all. It was super refreshing to read a story without a will they won't they subplot. The character's in this story literally had much bigger problems.
If you're looking for something different from the typical medieval European fantasy then I highly recommend checking out Amok.
*Many thanks to the author who let me read an advanced copy of this book. This review is my own honest evaluation of the material.*
May 8, 2022
Spare a little patience for young Mikal's doubts and tantrums (he is only 15 after all) and be rewarded with a beautifully-written testament to the elusiveness and power of faith, told with the kind of vigour found in pulp fiction. I picked Amok up at a literary festival 7 months ago but put off reading it because the artwork, title and back-cover blurb led me to assume it to be a work of historical fiction on the Malay sultanate. Instead, Amok turned out to be a thrilling page-turner which explores faith through the perspectives of fictional royals and servants who find themselves switching places against their will. Once you've gotten accustomed to the names and honourifics of its characters, you'll want to finish it in a single sitting (took me approximately 9 hours).
Read
November 10, 2022DNF'ed
February 15, 2023
Amok is about Putera Mikal, who hasn't been granted the hereditary supernatural power called Amok Strength by Kudus (the god they worship), even after he has reached the age of 15. His challenges start when his father is overthrown and he has to get the throne back no matter what.
- I super love the world building! Its setting is somewhere in Nusantara, so we have a kingdom named Terang, which consists of three city states; 1) Maha, where the Sultan resides with his council, 2) Suci, also called the Holy City, locates the main religious body, and 3) Impian, which places the judiciary members called the Justices.
- From the structure itself, it's easy for me to blend in with them because the concept is not foreign. There are roles like Sultan, Paderi, Diaken, Bendahara, Bendahari, Syahbandar which also familiar to me. I bet from these two points, you can already imagine how the world is like.
- I enjoy the conflicts portrayed between these three branches. Since each of the branch governs different matter (they also have their very own superpower!), their views on certain matters are thought provoking. Here we can see how hard it is to reach the harmonious check and balance system when at the same time, they also need to maintain an amount of respect towards each other. Again, it's easy to understand since I also witness this aspect in real life day to day.
- The nature of the Amok Strength however, surprises me! It's so different from any magic system that I usually read. I remember how much I was in awe when I delve into how Amok Strength works.
- The action, mind-blowing! We have battles going on physically and mentally, so intense it hurts. I really feel for Mikal, the total 360° turn new reality he has to face is not easy at all. Imagine someone having a low self esteem loses everything in just one night, then without any support, and backups in terms of people and weaponry needs to get that everything back. It takes an enormous courage and strength, man!
- Fair to say that while reading, I already envision how every scene would be if this book is adapted to a movie one day 😍
- When it comes to the characters, Yosua, Mikal's best friend is undeniably my favourite. His love, his unquestionable loyalty and his protectiveness towards Mikal are some of the elements that I salute him for. Also an honourable mention to amongst others; Garett, Marla, Tok Yaakub, Tok Ibrahim, Uskup Agung, and Nek Ramalan who colours the storyline even more.
- I super love the world building! Its setting is somewhere in Nusantara, so we have a kingdom named Terang, which consists of three city states; 1) Maha, where the Sultan resides with his council, 2) Suci, also called the Holy City, locates the main religious body, and 3) Impian, which places the judiciary members called the Justices.
- From the structure itself, it's easy for me to blend in with them because the concept is not foreign. There are roles like Sultan, Paderi, Diaken, Bendahara, Bendahari, Syahbandar which also familiar to me. I bet from these two points, you can already imagine how the world is like.
- I enjoy the conflicts portrayed between these three branches. Since each of the branch governs different matter (they also have their very own superpower!), their views on certain matters are thought provoking. Here we can see how hard it is to reach the harmonious check and balance system when at the same time, they also need to maintain an amount of respect towards each other. Again, it's easy to understand since I also witness this aspect in real life day to day.
- The nature of the Amok Strength however, surprises me! It's so different from any magic system that I usually read. I remember how much I was in awe when I delve into how Amok Strength works.
- The action, mind-blowing! We have battles going on physically and mentally, so intense it hurts. I really feel for Mikal, the total 360° turn new reality he has to face is not easy at all. Imagine someone having a low self esteem loses everything in just one night, then without any support, and backups in terms of people and weaponry needs to get that everything back. It takes an enormous courage and strength, man!
- Fair to say that while reading, I already envision how every scene would be if this book is adapted to a movie one day 😍
- When it comes to the characters, Yosua, Mikal's best friend is undeniably my favourite. His love, his unquestionable loyalty and his protectiveness towards Mikal are some of the elements that I salute him for. Also an honourable mention to amongst others; Garett, Marla, Tok Yaakub, Tok Ibrahim, Uskup Agung, and Nek Ramalan who colours the storyline even more.
July 6, 2021
7/3/2021 Full review tk at TheFrumiousConsortium.net.
7/6/2021 The world-building of this Nusantara-set novel is exemplary, seamlessly incorporating elements of all the cultures that meld and mingle in Malaysia and its neighbors to present a truly fascinating fantasy world. The main nation is Terang, a collection of three city-states, each with its own mystical focus. Suci, the holy city, is known for a priesthood that not only heads the worship of Kudus but is also gifted with the ability to instantly communicate over long distances. Impian is a town of lawmakers and historians, where the blessed have the ability to read the thoughts of others. And Maha, the capital, is headed by a Sultan who's gifted with the divine Amok Strength which overflows from him to his people, granting them supernatural might to back their military prowess.
The Sultan as this book opens is a widower named Simson, whose courting of the neighboring kingdom of Bayangan's Permaisuri is causing considerable consternation among the religious. Bayangan is a state of breakaway Terangans who refused to worship Kudus. Sultan Simson put them down some decades ago, taking hostages from their royalty and upper classes to ensure their fealty. His son Mikal is fifteen and has yet to come into his own Amok strength despite fervent prayers to Kudus and lengthy martial training sessions. As a result, Mikal spends most of his time outside the gelanggang sulking about not having the mystical powers to back up his training. He's caught off-guard by what seems to him his father's sudden interest in remarriage, and by the suddenly cagey behavior of his own body servant Yosua, a boy his own age who was born of Bayangan hostages in Maha.
When Permaisuri Layla finally puts into motion her long-simmering plan for revenge on Terang, Mikal finds himself taken prisoner and shipped across the straits to Bayangan. There, he's left to the care and mercies of Yosua, who turns out to be far more than a simple serving boy. The friends will have to do everything in their power to reverse the acts of the cruel Permaisuri Layla, while trying to find a way to preserve their friendship and break the murderous cycle of vengeance between the nations that claim them.
Anna Tan has put a lot of thought into creating an entirely original fantasy world that incorporates the values, beliefs and cultures of Malaysia (I laughed when I figured out what "ayell" stands for.) The amount of flavor available to those who speak Malay a/o are already familiar with the area is extremely rich, tho sometimes a little too on-the-nose: by the time we get to the woman named Bintang being called a guiding star by one of the characters, I was like OKAY, this is less sly than verging on the painfully literal. Otherwise, I loved this setting so much, with its rich overtones of current societal norms blended with the distinctive flavor of historical tales.
What I did not love was Mikal. My God, that child. Entirely self-absorbed and entitled, even his relationship with Kudus is all "why aren't you giving me what I want?" I get it, Nusantaran royalty throughout history has been more renowned for its folly than good works, but expecting me to sympathize with this kid is a tough ask, especially when he's such a douchebag throughout. Granted, he does make the right choices at the end, so he's not a bad kid just... really privileged and spoiled and not too bright. Ms Tan's writing really leans into that, for some reason, instead of his actually good qualities, submerging his (quite good actually) martial instincts in self-doubt and spending less time on his political awakening and sense of mercy than on his extremely belabored religious crisis and sense of having been betrayed. There's a good, sympathetic character here but he's so obscured by all the pondering and angst that it's really hard to give a damn.
This is Anna Tan's first novel, and possibly the first of a series. I'm really hoping she writes more in this setting but chooses less irritating characters to focus on. Also, the older I get the less enamored I am of the idea of hereditary monarchy, especially when the basis is divine right. But I've always believed that faith without works is dead, so.
Amok by Anna Tan was published June 1 2021 by Teaspoon Publishing and is available from all good booksellers.
7/6/2021 The world-building of this Nusantara-set novel is exemplary, seamlessly incorporating elements of all the cultures that meld and mingle in Malaysia and its neighbors to present a truly fascinating fantasy world. The main nation is Terang, a collection of three city-states, each with its own mystical focus. Suci, the holy city, is known for a priesthood that not only heads the worship of Kudus but is also gifted with the ability to instantly communicate over long distances. Impian is a town of lawmakers and historians, where the blessed have the ability to read the thoughts of others. And Maha, the capital, is headed by a Sultan who's gifted with the divine Amok Strength which overflows from him to his people, granting them supernatural might to back their military prowess.
The Sultan as this book opens is a widower named Simson, whose courting of the neighboring kingdom of Bayangan's Permaisuri is causing considerable consternation among the religious. Bayangan is a state of breakaway Terangans who refused to worship Kudus. Sultan Simson put them down some decades ago, taking hostages from their royalty and upper classes to ensure their fealty. His son Mikal is fifteen and has yet to come into his own Amok strength despite fervent prayers to Kudus and lengthy martial training sessions. As a result, Mikal spends most of his time outside the gelanggang sulking about not having the mystical powers to back up his training. He's caught off-guard by what seems to him his father's sudden interest in remarriage, and by the suddenly cagey behavior of his own body servant Yosua, a boy his own age who was born of Bayangan hostages in Maha.
When Permaisuri Layla finally puts into motion her long-simmering plan for revenge on Terang, Mikal finds himself taken prisoner and shipped across the straits to Bayangan. There, he's left to the care and mercies of Yosua, who turns out to be far more than a simple serving boy. The friends will have to do everything in their power to reverse the acts of the cruel Permaisuri Layla, while trying to find a way to preserve their friendship and break the murderous cycle of vengeance between the nations that claim them.
Anna Tan has put a lot of thought into creating an entirely original fantasy world that incorporates the values, beliefs and cultures of Malaysia (I laughed when I figured out what "ayell" stands for.) The amount of flavor available to those who speak Malay a/o are already familiar with the area is extremely rich, tho sometimes a little too on-the-nose: by the time we get to the woman named Bintang being called a guiding star by one of the characters, I was like OKAY, this is less sly than verging on the painfully literal. Otherwise, I loved this setting so much, with its rich overtones of current societal norms blended with the distinctive flavor of historical tales.
What I did not love was Mikal. My God, that child. Entirely self-absorbed and entitled, even his relationship with Kudus is all "why aren't you giving me what I want?" I get it, Nusantaran royalty throughout history has been more renowned for its folly than good works, but expecting me to sympathize with this kid is a tough ask, especially when he's such a douchebag throughout. Granted, he does make the right choices at the end, so he's not a bad kid just... really privileged and spoiled and not too bright. Ms Tan's writing really leans into that, for some reason, instead of his actually good qualities, submerging his (quite good actually) martial instincts in self-doubt and spending less time on his political awakening and sense of mercy than on his extremely belabored religious crisis and sense of having been betrayed. There's a good, sympathetic character here but he's so obscured by all the pondering and angst that it's really hard to give a damn.
This is Anna Tan's first novel, and possibly the first of a series. I'm really hoping she writes more in this setting but chooses less irritating characters to focus on. Also, the older I get the less enamored I am of the idea of hereditary monarchy, especially when the basis is divine right. But I've always believed that faith without works is dead, so.
Amok by Anna Tan was published June 1 2021 by Teaspoon Publishing and is available from all good booksellers.
September 5, 2021
Amok revolves around the story of our main protagonist, Prince Mikal of Terang and his struggles in getting back his rightful throne against their biggest enemy, the ruined kingdom of Bayangan. It is a thrilling Malay-Nusantara historical fantasy story that is heavy in the themes faith, loyalty and friendship. Terang is comprised of 3 major cities of ardent worshippers of the god, Kudus. With Maha as the central city where the Sultan and the armies reside under the umbrella of the Kudus strength, Suci the Holy City of the priests who are blessed with the ability to communicate via mirrors, and Impian where the women are bestowed with the gift of mind-reading. The neighbor kingdom, Bayangan is the ultimate nemesis of Terang where wars perpetually occurring for decades which results in the defeat of Bayangan in the hand of Terang. Mikal is the only child of Sultan Samson, making him the first and the only successor on line for the throne and succession of Amok strength, which will be regained in his coming-age. However, despite reaching 15 years old and trained the combat art of silat (martial arts of Nusantara) relentlessly, Kudus never response to him let alone bestowing an ounce of power to him.
This is a stirring story on how a young prince going to fight to restore his kingdom in the path full of thorns and hurdles, while having in internal conflict in the pursuit of his faith on Kudus, and living up to his position as the next ruler of Terang.
I find the worldbuilding and the settings of the story to be very intriguing! I really appreciate the Malay-Nusantara elements in the story and the natural flow of the writings. I have always love the ancient Malay kingdom history when I was in high school and having the chance to read a book in that very same settings totally piqued my excitement to delve into the world. You will find familiar traditional Malay customs and phrases in the book such as calling 'Tok' to honorable elders, 'Baginda Paduka' to address the King, and much more. Though the writings is concentrated with these Malay phrases, worry not, Anna Tan has provided a comprehensive glossary in the last pages for international readers to refer to! We are brought along the story through the POV of Mikal. Plot wise, the story escalated fast but not too fast that it feel abrupt. The flow of the story is just nice to keep your nose hooked on the book to know what'll happen next!
Now, let's move on to our main protagonist, Prince Mikal. Honestly, I have mixed feelings about him. I find myself getting frustrated on him whining and complaining almost all time! I'm most annoyed by him that it was hard to continue reading it, a really self-centered person who can't stand on his own and demanding people around him to cater to the whole situation. However, his situation is fathomable to some extent because; his father, Sultan Samson and those in authorities never bat an eye on him (except Tok Yaakub) before. He wasn't deemed and treated as how a successor should've been. Those folks ignored his position and potential , casting a barrier between Mikal and the politics, just because he hasn't regained the Amok Strength. This lead to him being oblivious and lack the knowledge to lead people. Another note is that he is only 15 years old at that time, few years to go before his coming-of-age. It's the moody phase of a teenager with unstable and fluctuating emotions, hence it's understandable why Mikal is prone to vent his feelings before his logic take place. Who would've imagine that the grand and majestic Kingdom of his own would be in ruin when the sun set on the same day? He was thrown into the chaos and bewilderment without any preparations beforehand. Even though at times I just feel like smacking his head for his immaturity, but I could see where he is coming from, and that kinda stirs a feeling of sympathy and sorrow for his situation. So in conclusion for his character, I would say Anna Tan managed to write the character splendidly, exhibit a realistic dynamic of a prince with huge responsibility, and a confused teenage boy devoid of attention and leading trainings.
The other pivotal character is Yosua. Oh how much I like him! He is my FAVOURITE character in this book (and prolly the reason why I'm eager to finish the book). The friendship and loyalty between him and Mikal is just very earnest . If Mikal is the raging fire, then Yosua is the calming wind, hence complementing each other. I don't think so I have ever seen a story of slaves-master swapped roles before in any story. Indeed, this one is a very unique relationship they have.
All in all, I enjoy the story. The ending was really emotional-stirring :') It was the ending, for a new beginning. It was such a journey to see the growth of Prince Mikal, from a confused teen boy, to a benevolent ruler . Seeing him break through out of his shell, and taking different approach, HIS OWN approach, makes me looking forward to the future he'll be building. I can't wait for the next book in this series! I really hope we'll get to see the mature and wise side of him later on, and how will he restore back the kingdom whilst handling the unceasing hurdles in the future.
Side notes for the author:
- I think it would be better to put the 'About Terang' and 'About Bayangan' in the front before the story, it would make it easier for reader to grasp the settings beforehand. just my two cent! :D
This is a stirring story on how a young prince going to fight to restore his kingdom in the path full of thorns and hurdles, while having in internal conflict in the pursuit of his faith on Kudus, and living up to his position as the next ruler of Terang.
I find the worldbuilding and the settings of the story to be very intriguing! I really appreciate the Malay-Nusantara elements in the story and the natural flow of the writings. I have always love the ancient Malay kingdom history when I was in high school and having the chance to read a book in that very same settings totally piqued my excitement to delve into the world. You will find familiar traditional Malay customs and phrases in the book such as calling 'Tok' to honorable elders, 'Baginda Paduka' to address the King, and much more. Though the writings is concentrated with these Malay phrases, worry not, Anna Tan has provided a comprehensive glossary in the last pages for international readers to refer to! We are brought along the story through the POV of Mikal. Plot wise, the story escalated fast but not too fast that it feel abrupt. The flow of the story is just nice to keep your nose hooked on the book to know what'll happen next!
Now, let's move on to our main protagonist, Prince Mikal. Honestly, I have mixed feelings about him. I find myself getting frustrated on him whining and complaining almost all time! I'm most annoyed by him that it was hard to continue reading it, a really self-centered person who can't stand on his own and demanding people around him to cater to the whole situation. However, his situation is fathomable to some extent because; his father, Sultan Samson and those in authorities never bat an eye on him (except Tok Yaakub) before. He wasn't deemed and treated as how a successor should've been. Those folks ignored his position and potential , casting a barrier between Mikal and the politics, just because he hasn't regained the Amok Strength. This lead to him being oblivious and lack the knowledge to lead people. Another note is that he is only 15 years old at that time, few years to go before his coming-of-age. It's the moody phase of a teenager with unstable and fluctuating emotions, hence it's understandable why Mikal is prone to vent his feelings before his logic take place. Who would've imagine that the grand and majestic Kingdom of his own would be in ruin when the sun set on the same day? He was thrown into the chaos and bewilderment without any preparations beforehand. Even though at times I just feel like smacking his head for his immaturity, but I could see where he is coming from, and that kinda stirs a feeling of sympathy and sorrow for his situation. So in conclusion for his character, I would say Anna Tan managed to write the character splendidly, exhibit a realistic dynamic of a prince with huge responsibility, and a confused teenage boy devoid of attention and leading trainings.
The other pivotal character is Yosua. Oh how much I like him! He is my FAVOURITE character in this book (and prolly the reason why I'm eager to finish the book). The friendship and loyalty between him and Mikal is just very earnest . If Mikal is the raging fire, then Yosua is the calming wind, hence complementing each other. I don't think so I have ever seen a story of slaves-master swapped roles before in any story. Indeed, this one is a very unique relationship they have.
All in all, I enjoy the story. The ending was really emotional-stirring :') It was the ending, for a new beginning. It was such a journey to see the growth of Prince Mikal, from a confused teen boy, to a benevolent ruler . Seeing him break through out of his shell, and taking different approach, HIS OWN approach, makes me looking forward to the future he'll be building. I can't wait for the next book in this series! I really hope we'll get to see the mature and wise side of him later on, and how will he restore back the kingdom whilst handling the unceasing hurdles in the future.
Side notes for the author:
- I think it would be better to put the 'About Terang' and 'About Bayangan' in the front before the story, it would make it easier for reader to grasp the settings beforehand. just my two cent! :D
May 16, 2023
Amok is a fantasy set in the fictional world of Terang and Bayangan. In the beginning, Putera Mikal's concerns are only the mistreatment from the royal council and his lack of prowess for channelling the Amok strength. Then a delegation from Bayangan led by a vengeful queen arrives and turns Mikal's safe haven upside down. Mikal is thrown into appalling circumstances which make him doubtful of everything, himself included, and consequently his faith.
The non-English words might be confusing at first but easy to keep up with after a while. I would like it better if they are fewer of these words because they did hinder my reading pace (basically my brain couldn't switch language fast enough) until I was more familiar with the overall worldbuilding. The story in general is well-paced and easy to follow (Mikal does all the suffering, you just have to fret with him). If you expect a happy story though, uhhhhh yeah good luck with that.
I received the ARC from the author but this review is entirely my own :)
The non-English words might be confusing at first but easy to keep up with after a while. I would like it better if they are fewer of these words because they did hinder my reading pace (basically my brain couldn't switch language fast enough) until I was more familiar with the overall worldbuilding. The story in general is well-paced and easy to follow (Mikal does all the suffering, you just have to fret with him). If you expect a happy story though, uhhhhh yeah good luck with that.
I received the ARC from the author but this review is entirely my own :)
March 18, 2024
1.5 ⭐️
The cover art on this book is lovely. That's what first attracted me to the book.
Then the title Amok fascinated me. "Running amuk' is a term Malaysians would be familiar with. It's when a person goes into a frenzy and rushes around attacking furiously. Another, similar, term would be "berserker" I reckon.
So I expected to see people running amok in this book. But there was no one who ran around in a frenzy. There were only many references to a super strength that flowed from God to the Sultan to his warriors. In fact, there was just one part of the story where the characters actually utilised that super strength as part of the storyline. I'd have liked to see more actual examples of the Sultan or Prince running amok than just the explanations of what Amok Strength was.
The book was tagged as Christian Fantasy here on Goodreads which kinda threw me. But the Mahan religion was a monotheistic religion. They also all believed that people should pray to God (in the book this God was Kudus) and worship God often. Similar to an Abrahamic religion with the belief that there is only one God. But personally, I wouldn't have tagged it as Christian Fantasy.
So now we come to the "It's not the book. It's me" part.
Maybe I just can't read YA. And here the main character was young, 15 year old Mikal..... whom I disliked rather intensely.
He came across as a petulant, whiny child who was so self absorbed. It was all about Me, Me, Me. Nobody understands me. Nobody likes me. Nobody will give me a chance. Kudus doesn't listen to me. Everyone is so unfair to me 🙄
His extreme hostility towards Yosua was also unfair in my view. Mikal just couldn't take what he used to freely dish out. It seemed to be the running thread throughout the book.... "I hate Yosua. He's taken everything from me. He's so mean to me. But when I did it to him, that was fine". It sometimes felt that you were bludgeoned with this same theme which, I felt, got tiresome after a while. It was holy and right when Maha conquered Bayangan and kept its people as slaves but when the tables were turned, the Bayangans were cruel and evil and the poor Mahans oppressed and tortured.
I did like Yosua and his parents, Garett and Marla. Yosua was a genuine friend trying to do the best he could in a bad situation. Garett and Marla were decent, level headed people who were loyal and steadfast.
This fact and the cover art were what got this book a 1.5 star rating from me. I'd have DNF-ed the book much earlier if not for a book discussion that I'm participating in.
The cover art on this book is lovely. That's what first attracted me to the book.
Then the title Amok fascinated me. "Running amuk' is a term Malaysians would be familiar with. It's when a person goes into a frenzy and rushes around attacking furiously. Another, similar, term would be "berserker" I reckon.
So I expected to see people running amok in this book. But there was no one who ran around in a frenzy. There were only many references to a super strength that flowed from God to the Sultan to his warriors. In fact, there was just one part of the story where the characters actually utilised that super strength as part of the storyline. I'd have liked to see more actual examples of the Sultan or Prince running amok than just the explanations of what Amok Strength was.
The book was tagged as Christian Fantasy here on Goodreads which kinda threw me. But the Mahan religion was a monotheistic religion. They also all believed that people should pray to God (in the book this God was Kudus) and worship God often. Similar to an Abrahamic religion with the belief that there is only one God. But personally, I wouldn't have tagged it as Christian Fantasy.
So now we come to the "It's not the book. It's me" part.
Maybe I just can't read YA. And here the main character was young, 15 year old Mikal..... whom I disliked rather intensely.
He came across as a petulant, whiny child who was so self absorbed. It was all about Me, Me, Me. Nobody understands me. Nobody likes me. Nobody will give me a chance. Kudus doesn't listen to me. Everyone is so unfair to me 🙄
His extreme hostility towards Yosua was also unfair in my view. Mikal just couldn't take what he used to freely dish out. It seemed to be the running thread throughout the book.... "I hate Yosua. He's taken everything from me. He's so mean to me. But when I did it to him, that was fine". It sometimes felt that you were bludgeoned with this same theme which, I felt, got tiresome after a while. It was holy and right when Maha conquered Bayangan and kept its people as slaves but when the tables were turned, the Bayangans were cruel and evil and the poor Mahans oppressed and tortured.
I did like Yosua and his parents, Garett and Marla. Yosua was a genuine friend trying to do the best he could in a bad situation. Garett and Marla were decent, level headed people who were loyal and steadfast.
This fact and the cover art were what got this book a 1.5 star rating from me. I'd have DNF-ed the book much earlier if not for a book discussion that I'm participating in.
August 14, 2021
Thank you to Anna Tan and Teaspoon Publishing for e-ARC and in exchanging of honest review.
A good debut book overall. I likely choose this book to read from NetGalley because of the title was in Malay hence I auto-choose to read it. I knew it was produced by Malaysian. The cover itself attracts me to read I saw keris & parang.
Enough with how I stumbled upon this book. This book really charmed me with Malay language such as Sultan, baju, roti, keris and more. I cannot be thrilled enough as it has strong Nusantara element in it. Silat and the usage of keris also were highlighted in it as the main martial art practice in this fictional Nusantara world. I also love how fast paced the story goes and it made me stick to read and kept me anticipating the next step. I almost, almost lost hope but I knew in the end, there will be light but still, the story convincing me so well. Not forgot to mention, it was full of political elements that kept me hoping it will worked out after this. To me, it's a short one as the plot wasn't really hard to follow but pack enough.
For the character that I favour is Permaisuri Layla. Her character was very convincing to me.She has no doubt and knew what she wants. If this was made a movie, only a talented actress should brings her character alive.
The thing that I kinda pondering about was the religion used in this story. At first, as the characters were named in Malay, I thought the religion would be as similar in reality. As I read further, it is a fictional hence I let my imagination brought me to Kedah Tua Kingdom era. Kedah Tua Kingdom was an ancient Malay kingdom where it was Pre-Islam era as well. I have no problem after that. Another thing I wished for more were actions from Amok Strength itself. As it was prevailed to be the strongest power of any human can possessed in this Nusantara world. For International readers, this book might be hard to follow as it used a lot of Malay words and some of it has the translation and some of it not. There is glossaries at the end of the book but still it's kind hard for them to reach glossaries at the back.
In conclusion, this book was easy to follow despite of political elements in it. I am grateful to see another Malaysian author to produce a book that highlighted the Nusantara element to the international stage.
A good debut book overall. I likely choose this book to read from NetGalley because of the title was in Malay hence I auto-choose to read it. I knew it was produced by Malaysian. The cover itself attracts me to read I saw keris & parang.
Enough with how I stumbled upon this book. This book really charmed me with Malay language such as Sultan, baju, roti, keris and more. I cannot be thrilled enough as it has strong Nusantara element in it. Silat and the usage of keris also were highlighted in it as the main martial art practice in this fictional Nusantara world. I also love how fast paced the story goes and it made me stick to read and kept me anticipating the next step. I almost, almost lost hope but I knew in the end, there will be light but still, the story convincing me so well. Not forgot to mention, it was full of political elements that kept me hoping it will worked out after this. To me, it's a short one as the plot wasn't really hard to follow but pack enough.
For the character that I favour is Permaisuri Layla. Her character was very convincing to me.She has no doubt and knew what she wants. If this was made a movie, only a talented actress should brings her character alive.
The thing that I kinda pondering about was the religion used in this story. At first, as the characters were named in Malay, I thought the religion would be as similar in reality. As I read further, it is a fictional hence I let my imagination brought me to Kedah Tua Kingdom era. Kedah Tua Kingdom was an ancient Malay kingdom where it was Pre-Islam era as well. I have no problem after that. Another thing I wished for more were actions from Amok Strength itself. As it was prevailed to be the strongest power of any human can possessed in this Nusantara world. For International readers, this book might be hard to follow as it used a lot of Malay words and some of it has the translation and some of it not. There is glossaries at the end of the book but still it's kind hard for them to reach glossaries at the back.
In conclusion, this book was easy to follow despite of political elements in it. I am grateful to see another Malaysian author to produce a book that highlighted the Nusantara element to the international stage.
April 5, 2022
I first came across this novel on The Star newspaper's article introducing the author. So I went to the website mentioned in the article, 'Teaspoon Publishing'. Scouring for the novel and read the synopsis. Looking at the cover, I judged this may be another fantasy novel with magical power and bombastic language, and predictable outcomes. Reading the synopsis, I think the plot is cliche. But wait, the names sound weird...what Simson? What Mikal? I think why not give it a try...so I bought one.
In summary, I was wow-ed by the storytelling technique. Its been a long time since I was last impressed by a novel (the last time being 'Shogun' by James Clavell). You know the novel is good when you are hooked to continue reading after browsing just the first few pages.
The author uses simple English. The sentences are simple. But the depth is brutal. You can feel yourself bonded and assimilated with the character, the feeling, the environment... the pain he felt. It feels so real, despite moderate explanation of the background.
The plot is simple, but the attractiveness of the story simply lies on the author's skill in weaving words to make it as if it is real. The author maintains first person narrative throughout the story, so it allows me to grasp the story without having to stop to think who is currently speaking.
The theme is the importance of keeping faith no matter what tribulations you face in your life. The story portrays a fictional monotheistic yet unnamed religion centralized upon worshipping a deity called Kudus. The devotees conduct prayer by facing their faces towards a holy city called Suci, akin to Muslim or Jew facing Mecca or Baitulmaqdis respectively. Coincidentally, the name 'Kudus' is actually one of the 99 names (ways of calling) of Allah in Islam; al-Quddus. The devotees also joined the Jemaah once a week, akin to Abrahamic religion practices.
The author brings beautifully awkward situations when your lifetime slave becomes your master, the ones protecting and allying with you were descended from the nation waging war against your country, in which the trust can be questioned and fragile. I love this so much, it makes the story's trajectory very unpredictable. Anytime the story can take another turn whenever Yosua chose to break his promise or betray Mikal once more. And trust me, the author managed to make me hate Layla so much I want to kill her many times! It feels so weirdly satisfying to see Mikal managed to destroy Layla in the end. The feels I seldom get from nowadays novels.
Five star for the novel, five star for the author. I wish to see more novels like this from the author in the future.
p/s: the music keeps playing in my head regarding Mikal vs Layla fighting scene is Powerless/ Muryoku - Dominator
In summary, I was wow-ed by the storytelling technique. Its been a long time since I was last impressed by a novel (the last time being 'Shogun' by James Clavell). You know the novel is good when you are hooked to continue reading after browsing just the first few pages.
The author uses simple English. The sentences are simple. But the depth is brutal. You can feel yourself bonded and assimilated with the character, the feeling, the environment... the pain he felt. It feels so real, despite moderate explanation of the background.
The plot is simple, but the attractiveness of the story simply lies on the author's skill in weaving words to make it as if it is real. The author maintains first person narrative throughout the story, so it allows me to grasp the story without having to stop to think who is currently speaking.
The theme is the importance of keeping faith no matter what tribulations you face in your life. The story portrays a fictional monotheistic yet unnamed religion centralized upon worshipping a deity called Kudus. The devotees conduct prayer by facing their faces towards a holy city called Suci, akin to Muslim or Jew facing Mecca or Baitulmaqdis respectively. Coincidentally, the name 'Kudus' is actually one of the 99 names (ways of calling) of Allah in Islam; al-Quddus. The devotees also joined the Jemaah once a week, akin to Abrahamic religion practices.
The author brings beautifully awkward situations when your lifetime slave becomes your master, the ones protecting and allying with you were descended from the nation waging war against your country, in which the trust can be questioned and fragile. I love this so much, it makes the story's trajectory very unpredictable. Anytime the story can take another turn whenever Yosua chose to break his promise or betray Mikal once more. And trust me, the author managed to make me hate Layla so much I want to kill her many times! It feels so weirdly satisfying to see Mikal managed to destroy Layla in the end. The feels I seldom get from nowadays novels.
Five star for the novel, five star for the author. I wish to see more novels like this from the author in the future.
p/s: the music keeps playing in my head regarding Mikal vs Layla fighting scene is Powerless/ Muryoku - Dominator
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 28, 2022
I really struggled with reading this book. It was confusing and repetitive at the same time.
I loved the aspects of Malay culture and the setting and and words thrown in (the glossary really helped because I was initially using Google to translate every time I came upon a word I didn’t know), but the characters didn’t feel as well developed as they could have been. And Kudus was my least favorite character when he should’ve been powerful and all-knowing, or whatever we’d expect from a God. This was a faith-based fantasy and maybe I’ve never read a real faith-based fantasy before, but it just didn’t click with me.
Seeing Mikal realize his privilege and come into his power was nice, but being in his head was so annoying. Constantly the same thoughts over and over again. Some other reviews talk about him being whiny, but that didn’t bother me as much as the repeating thoughts in his internal monologue. I didn’t understand why Yosua and his family remained loyal to their oppressors either.
Some of the dialogue in this book was also confusing because I’d forget who was talking. There would be scenes were there were like 5 people in a room and multiple people are speaking back and forth but it isn’t clearly stated who is saying what, so you get a bunch of lines of dialogue and have to go back and figure out who is meant to be speaking.
I loved the aspects of Malay culture and the setting and and words thrown in (the glossary really helped because I was initially using Google to translate every time I came upon a word I didn’t know), but the characters didn’t feel as well developed as they could have been. And Kudus was my least favorite character when he should’ve been powerful and all-knowing, or whatever we’d expect from a God. This was a faith-based fantasy and maybe I’ve never read a real faith-based fantasy before, but it just didn’t click with me.
Seeing Mikal realize his privilege and come into his power was nice, but being in his head was so annoying. Constantly the same thoughts over and over again. Some other reviews talk about him being whiny, but that didn’t bother me as much as the repeating thoughts in his internal monologue. I didn’t understand why Yosua and his family remained loyal to their oppressors either.
Some of the dialogue in this book was also confusing because I’d forget who was talking. There would be scenes were there were like 5 people in a room and multiple people are speaking back and forth but it isn’t clearly stated who is saying what, so you get a bunch of lines of dialogue and have to go back and figure out who is meant to be speaking.
April 19, 2023
“Be still. Be still and know that I am God.”
— ★★★★★ (5/5) —
Last year I read The Tale of the Hostage Prince—it was the novella of this series (book 1.5)—and I liked it, even though I often felt clueless about the world system and terms used. Now that I read this book (the first book in the Absolution series), I can easily reminisce the world and everything in The Tale makes sense.
Amok follows Putera Mikal story and struggles to gain the Amok Strength (a supernatural power granted by Kudus to the Mahan royal family).
I liked the world-building, the magic/gift system in every city-state of Terang. The fact that the author used so many Malay terms for the world is fascinating. As an Indonesian, Malay words are basically very akin. However, don't be afraid that you won't understand the terms because the author provides a glossary at the end.
For me, Amok is a story about faith, loyalty, and forgiveness. To hold on to hope in desperation. To keep trusting even in the darkness. To end the revenge cycle. It also got Bible story’s retelling of Samson and Delilah.
January 14, 2023
4.5 stars
Read this in 2021 but never left a review. In lieu of that here's what I sent to Anna after finishing the book:
"Anna I stayed up SO late last night just to finish reading Amok!!! At one point the story was so gripping I couldn't put it down lol!!! It's the first novel I've actually finished in forever 😂
I also thought the worldbuilding was so rich and detailed but done in a way that doesn't bog down the narrative at all!"
To my recollection, the narrative did take a little time to build up momentum, but the moment you're in... You're in.
Read this in 2021 but never left a review. In lieu of that here's what I sent to Anna after finishing the book:
"Anna I stayed up SO late last night just to finish reading Amok!!! At one point the story was so gripping I couldn't put it down lol!!! It's the first novel I've actually finished in forever 😂
I also thought the worldbuilding was so rich and detailed but done in a way that doesn't bog down the narrative at all!"
To my recollection, the narrative did take a little time to build up momentum, but the moment you're in... You're in.
May 11, 2023
A bold, brave and brilliant fantasy novel, in a setting that is not far removed from that of Malaysia. (this reader hopes he got it right)
This reader could identify with the pursuit of one's dream and the angst described.
The world is meticulously crafted and fleshed out, the characters believable and realistic.
This novel is gripping and a page-turner.
This reader likes the many concepts and ideas introduced in this book; they are inventive and refreshing.
Overall, a delightful read and a must-read for fantasy novel enthusiasts!
Apologies if this reader's lack of eloquence does little justice to this amazing piece of work!
This reader could identify with the pursuit of one's dream and the angst described.
The world is meticulously crafted and fleshed out, the characters believable and realistic.
This novel is gripping and a page-turner.
This reader likes the many concepts and ideas introduced in this book; they are inventive and refreshing.
Overall, a delightful read and a must-read for fantasy novel enthusiasts!
Apologies if this reader's lack of eloquence does little justice to this amazing piece of work!
January 8, 2024
A heart-wrenching twist on the tale of Samson...
Overall, this book was intense! Mikal was a character I could relate to all too well. He wants to do the right thing and to prove himself to both God, his father, and his people. Yet, he continued to make mistakes, relying more on himself instead of God to give him strength. He wrestles with trusting God when he loses everything and almost everyone he loved. His raw vulnerability and questions were both painful and refreshing to read, as I understand all too well how hard it is to trust God when things don't go your way. His character arc absolutely made this book what it was: compelling.
I highly recommend reading it.
Overall, this book was intense! Mikal was a character I could relate to all too well. He wants to do the right thing and to prove himself to both God, his father, and his people. Yet, he continued to make mistakes, relying more on himself instead of God to give him strength. He wrestles with trusting God when he loses everything and almost everyone he loved. His raw vulnerability and questions were both painful and refreshing to read, as I understand all too well how hard it is to trust God when things don't go your way. His character arc absolutely made this book what it was: compelling.
I highly recommend reading it.
December 8, 2022
Thanks, Netgalley and Publisher for the opportunity to read and review! Life got in the way and it took me some time, but every minute spent reading was worth it. I loved the novel! The narrative flows smoothly and easily like a river and the more you swim through the pages, the more engrossed you become with the characters and their unique story of betrayal, courage, faith, friendship and love, The world-building is interesting as it is inspired by Malaysian culture and sprayed with few Biblical elements. Definitely recommend the novel! Amazing read!
August 2, 2021
Fun adventure but could have done with a little time at the start to develope the world and characters we soon see changed for good.
Full review - https://www.runalongtheshelves.net/bl...
Full review - https://www.runalongtheshelves.net/bl...
February 3, 2023
So good!
I love this allegory of the story of Samson, as told by “Samson’s” son. What an amazing story of faith, friendship, trust, all without an awkward love triangle!!! I’m excited to read the rest in the series!
I love this allegory of the story of Samson, as told by “Samson’s” son. What an amazing story of faith, friendship, trust, all without an awkward love triangle!!! I’m excited to read the rest in the series!
February 21, 2024
A fascinating tale of what it means to be a ruler. Learning through blood and struggle how decisions have consequences. How do you keep the faith when you cannot hear the voice of god?
I genuinely have never read anything like it before and really enjoyed it.
I genuinely have never read anything like it before and really enjoyed it.
June 9, 2021
I could NOT put this book down. What a powerful coming-of-age/riches-to-rags/ story this is.
Anna Tan's AMOK draws you into her world and won't let you leave. Your heart will laugh and rage and ache with the characters and the ending will satisfy your soul.
AMOK is a MUST-READ!
Anna Tan's AMOK draws you into her world and won't let you leave. Your heart will laugh and rage and ache with the characters and the ending will satisfy your soul.
AMOK is a MUST-READ!
August 6, 2021
I totally love this book! A definite page turner. The characters were colourful yet relatable and real. Highly recommended.
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