Enlightenment

by Reno Ursal

Overview

When 18 year old Filipina American Dorothy Dizon meets the mysterious Adrian Rosario and his alluring knowledge of Philippine history, she quickly discovers she is connected to the hidden folklore of the Philippine Islands as Adrian attempts to protect her from Sitan, the archenemy of his beloved blood-eating secret society. Together, they experience a paranormal journey that changes them in ways they could never imagine.

Enlightenment, Book One of The Bathala Series explores the forgotten history of the Philippines through first-person perspectives of Filipino characters who live on the opposite sides of the truth.

Product Details

BN ID:	2940161232231
Publisher:	Pacific Boulevard Books
Publication date:	03/14/2019
Series:	The Bathala Series , #1
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	NOOK Book
File size:	2 MB

About the Author

Reno Ursal is a SF Bay Area Filipino American author raised in Rogers City, Michigan, a small town on the shores of Lake Huron. An active reader growing up, he started writing short stories as a high school participant in the Huron Shores Writing Institute. On his way to earning his B.A. English from The University of Michigan, he became exposed to authors of various backgrounds that opened up the idea of a novel in his mind.

Life moved quickly after college. He met a girl in California, got married and became proud parents of three second-generation Filipino American kids. With a full-time job, he burned the midnight oil to write.

His first completed novel "The Three Promises" was written when his kids were babies. This novel remains unpublished, but spawned the beginning of another novel "The Last Remaining," that became "Enlightenment" years later.

Enlightenment is the first book in The Bathala Series, inspired by the beautiful folklore of the Philippines and the life story of Reno's niece. This is a coming-of-age journey of Filipina-American Dorothy Dizon and transfer student Adrian Rosario who discover each other at a time of emotional vulnerability and historic consequence.

Dorothy is an 18 year old high schooler in Vegas who learns about the mysterious folklore of the Philippines as she weaves her way in a new relationship with Adrian, leaning on the support of her gorgeous best friend, Stella De Guzman.

Adrian is a blood-eating Danag warrior sent to to protect Dorothy from his secret society's archenemy, Sitan, who escaped the Philippines centuries ago. Adrian's feelings for Dorothy are put to the test at the end when he feels a connection he could never predict.

The Bathala Series takes readers through Dorothy and Adrian's transformational journey in understanding their ancestral past and the roles they play in the world's uncertain future, debunking the bias in traditional European and American-based vampire lore.

Editorial Reviews

For his fantasy series opener, Ursal provides a banquet of cultural textures about the Philippines without sacrificing a brisk pace and smooth prose. The fantasy elements (like Adrian's glow) remain low key throughout much of the narrative, playfully recalling other series like Twilight...while Adrian discusses Filipino lore, Dorothy thinks: It would be a miracle if these stories would be remembered a hundred years from now. An engaging fantasy who romantic arc will likely divide readers.

Kirkus Reviews

This is a readable and unique series opener. Filipino history, culture and mythology is woven throughout. This narrative is told in alternating perspectives between Dorothy and her Timawa protector, Adrian. The author's cultural connection to the story resonates, making this tale more compelling. VERDICT: A general purchase for most, but a first purchase for collections lacking Filipino or Asian mythology-based fiction. (March 1, 2019)

School Library Journal - Kristyn Dorfman

Reno Ursal has produced a rare type of tale with Enlightenment, one with a fictional story line told over historical details which teach the reader things they didn't previously know. Being able to learn something of Filipino cultural history while reading a tale of the paranormal was a real treat for me. A new (or perhaps an old) version of the vampire legend is told against this backdrop. (March 7, 2019)

Readers Favorite - Dan Kalin

This story is reminiscent to me of the Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Heroes of Olympus, and Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard series by Rick Riordan. I love a good tale of mythology and that is what Enlightenment is at its core. I like this book because it's informative and relatable (because it's set in a world with western ideals, aka Vegas) just like Percy Jackson and Jason Grace (and Magnus Chase). (February 22, 2019)

Amazon, Goodreads - Emily C.

Enlightenment stands out to me as a first: a first in being a YA novel with an emphasis on Filipino folklore and history. The legends and beliefs that were nearly wiped out by the Philippines' long painful history of colonization are front and center in 2018 Las Vegas. Hidden family histories are exposed (or, at the very least, teased), fights of epic proportions occur and Baybayin plays a role in bringing some of the history to the present. (January 25, 2019)

Goodreads - Lauren Lola