Dubliners had to wait.

I already started with the book. But the season gave me some loot to get hold of the eighth book by our local writer, Bob Ong.

"Ang mga Kaibigan ni Aling Susan." The Friends of Aling Susan, translated literally in English, written by Bob Ong.

I've been kind of following him. But not really since I haven't read some of his books. The irony of things is that when I have the loot to buy his books, I was out of the country and cannot just get it from bookstores there. And now that I am finally back home, I couldn't just buy his books, too, but now it's because it's not on top even included in my budget list.

The book was short. A hundred or so pages.

But it was entirely different; entirely fucking different from his previous books.

Bob Ong's seven previous books are all about humor. His humor amazed me, caught me, engaged me. Well, that goes to say that in about those several books that I've ready by him.

This one is mind-boggling, thrilling, horror.

I don't normally read reviews, but this time I wish I had. Because I wouldn't have bought the book and read it had I known the plot.

But on the other hand, it's a good thing that I didn't read any reviews.

Because had I read reviews, I wouldn't have discovered that Bob Ong is also good in writing horror/thrilling books.

The book is the diary of Galo. It started as a school project. Something that I used to do, or we used to do in high school as a requirement. But after that project, he went on writing by himself and for himself.

And I guess this is the reason why the book has many loop holes.

• The fact that it was started as a school project, he wouldn't, shouldn't couldn't write anything that was happening around him.
• The fact that it started as a school project and he continued it all by himself, all we can see is what he wanted to document; deprived of the actual things that were actually happening.
• The fact that it started as a school project and that he continued it all by himself made it more magical, because the diary slowly began to have a life of its own.

My sister (she read it because she got curious by my remarks as I read the book) and I both agreed that this is just the beginning. There are still things to find out.

What is there in the town of Tarmanes?
Who are those that live in Tarmanes?
Where is Tarmanes?