BOOK REVIEW | Imaginative retelling of a tale from Kedah's rich folklore

BOOK REVIEW | Kedah, one of the northernmost states of Malaysia, has a rich and deep history, one that is much older than even Malacca itself.

Besides its history, the state of Kedah is also rich in folk tales and legends. From the widely known story of Mahsuri and the Tasik Dayang Bunting from Langkawi, there are also the tales of Puteri Lindungan Bulan and the myth of Gunung Keriang.

Of course, the most intriguing of all the stories to come out of the state has got to be that of Raja Bersiong (the Fanged King). This intriguing tale, which is recorded in the Kedah Annals (or known as Hikayat Merong Mahawangsa) does contain historical facts, though it is largely to be taken as a work of literary fiction with many incredible assertions.

Tutu Dutta’s "The Blood Prince of Langkasuka" deftly reimagines the tale of Raja Bersiong into a thrilling account of love, betrayal, and mystique set in the backdrop of an old Kedah.

Incidentally, the author is a writer of children's and young adult books, with 10 books published to date. Many of these books were written overseas, as she is also the wife of retired Malaysian diplomat Yean Yoke Heng. She has also worked as a Research Fellow at Universiti Malaya.

The book, at 172 pages, is an easy and quick read but crafting it would have been anything but and it shows every time the author steps back and describes the world in which the events unfold...