Red Dot Irreal by Jason Erik Lundberg

Red Dot Irreal Reviews

• 
  Marc Faoite

  The first thing that struck me about Jason Erik Lundberg’s debut collection Red Dot Irreal was the obvious care and attention that had been given to the design and layout of this book, published by Singapore based Math Paper Press. The semi-transparent dust cover, the choice of bordered paper, the hypnotic geometrical designs that precede each story and the quality of the print and typeface all conspire to entice and seduce. In an age where e-readers are encroaching on the market share of paper books Lundberg’s little volume of collected stories manages to achieve something that electronic hard and software cannot. Of course we all know the overused dictum about judging books from their covers, but the visual and tactile pleasure of handling this paper book made an engaging first impression. And, as we know, first impressions always last.
  
  Though the writer himself, like many young writers, is also an enthusiastic advocate of electronic media (his book is available electronically on eight, yes eight different vending platforms no less, as well as Print-On-Demand ) the affection he has for ‘Dead Tree’ books is evident before you even read the first page.
  Lundberg’s love of books and writing becomes even more obvious once you start to read. His stories are crafted with the same precision and care as the paper edition and confirm and reaffirm the positive first impression.
  
  All of the ten tales in this collection are set in the author’s adopted home of Singapore, a place familiar to many of this column's readers of course, but through these stories we see the place in a very different light. And of course it isn’t necessary to know Singapore to enjoy this book.
  
  Lundberg’s Singapore is a most unusual place. While his stories feature familiar names and places, Raja Brookes, the Merlion, Raffles, Orchard Road, his stories are fantastical and magical in range, where the borders of real and unreal, of possible and improbable are blurred and warped and stretched by the author’s inspired imagination. He shifts through genres of magical realism, science fiction and Victorian steam-punk to make up, what he himself labels, ‘Equatorial Fantastika’.
  
  We meet an interesting and unlikely cast of characters and beings ranging from rampaging buildings, to rapacious pirates, time travellers, a talking fish who lives in a tank in a food court and more besides.
  
  Both Lundbergh’s sensitivity and ear for language are evident throughout. The first story in the collection, and the longest, is entitled ‘Bogeymen.’ It is set in the Victorian era and told in a style much reminiscent of authors of that time, but that doesn’t put him above throwing in the occasional colloquial ‘lah’, ‘lorh’ or ‘ah’ where required.
  
  The title of his book comes from the fact that Singapore, being so small, is often obscured on world maps by the red dot that indicates its location. Lundberg’s little book skilfully manages to both obscure and reveal this tiny island republic in fresh and exciting ways.
  
  Many of these stories here have been previously featured elsewhere, mostly in Singaporean literary press, but this is the first time that they have been gathered together in one volume.
  
  Red Dot Irreal is a small book, where the emphasis, from design and print, through to the writing, is clearly focused more on quality than on quantity. If you are looking for a new door stop then this is not the book for you, but if you want to take a brief, but magical, trip through the imaginarium of Lundberg’s Singapore then Red Dot Irreal makes for a unique and unforgettable otherworldly read.
  
• 
  Didi

  Contained ten short stories.
  
  Local mystique with a dash of time travel. After reading this, can't help but feel like you know A LOT about the author as he incorporates bits of what he knows best (wife, daughter, Neil Gaiman) into his tales.
  
  
• 
  Jon

  A most excellent collection of short fiction set in Singapore or parts surrounding.
• 
  Tamara✨

  I did not know what to expect from this anthology, so I was pleasantly surprised when there were more hits than misses!!
  
  It's a fun little collection of speculative-SciFi all set in Singapore. There was one really 'intense' one that seemed to be like a semi autobiographical story about the author and how he met his wife and kept meeting his daughter from the future who came back in time to try and prevent him from making the mistakes he made in her timeline. It was good but I didn't enjoy it as much as the others, even though it stuck with me well after I finished the book.
  
  My favourite that I wish was longer or more fleshed out was the super short story about how all the landmarks of Singapore came to life to destroy the island. I know it sounds kind of sad, but the imagery is what had me cracking up with laughter. Imagine the Esplanade twin durians curling up into each other and rolling around like Sonic the Hedgehog, picture the 2 Stamford Raffles statues pairing up to stomp on and destroy anything in their path, and just think about what it would be like to see the Merlion jumping into the river only to jump back out again and destroy the Marina Bay and the like.
  
  I WISHED THERE WAS MORE OF THAT STORY. In all it's a really fun little collection and I'm glad I bought it!! That being said I don't think it would be as enjoyable for someone who's never been to or lived in South East Asia, at the very least!!
  
  
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• 
  Mason Jones

  An intriguing collection of short "fantastic" stories by a Singapore-based expat, heavily featuring the city and surroundings. As with most collections, it's uneven, but falls more often on the successful side of things. The opening story, "Bogeymen", is the longest, but also the best, with sympathetic characters and an intriguing piratical story. "Dragging the Frame", another longer story, is a time-travel piece that doesn't work as well: the main character is hard to care about, and the tale drags toward an anti-climactic ending. "In Jurong" starts slowly, but Lundberg's language is poetic enough that the story's fantastical world is well-worth savoring. Overall, these Singapore-flavored tales are very enjoyable. And the book's wonderful design and production is worth a mention as well, from the always-notable Math Paper Press, also based in Singapore.
• 
  Isaac Tan

  Lundberg's collection of fantastika casts a new light on Singapore. Imaginative and gripping, the reader is sent on an adventure from the first page. One appreciates the care and attention to some of geographical details as well as the tonal inflection of the local speech patterns. However, there are some cases in which the Singlish is contrived and inconsistent.
  
  Nonetheless, this collection is a wonderful addition to local literature and one hopes that more works in the genre will be inspired because of this pioneering work.
• 
  Maya Saputra

  South East Asia, particularly Singapore, served in the most surreal way. My most favorite stories are 'Bogeymen', 'Dragging The Frame' and 'Kopi Luwak'.
  Recommended for those who look for an alternate angle on viewing the Red Dot nation.