With his ambitious 16-part sci-fi supernatural thriller, Dr Aamton Alias is crafting a saga that seamlessly blends Bruneian folklore with eerie, otherworldly intrigue. Could this local author be the one to carve a place for Brunei in the realm of epic storytelling?
The scale of The BU NI AN Conspiracy Series is nothing short of monumental.
Even Dr Aamton, a seasoned writer with over a decade of experience spanning genres from children’s literature to horror, acknowledges the challenges of this undertaking.
“I began writing in 2014 but officially left my government job in 2018 to focus on it. For a few years, especially during COVID-19, I couldn’t write because my work relies heavily on meeting people – it’s an integral part of my process,” he shared.
For Dr Aamton, inspiration doesn’t come from isolation but from everyday interactions with the people around him.
“To me, being a doctor and a writer are interconnected: I need to be a doctor to write, and I need to write to be a good doctor,” he explained.
Despite these challenges, Dr Aamton’s literary contributions are nothing short of prolific.
With over 30 books to his name, his horror anthology series is a standout success, now in its seventh instalment. Yet, his current endeavour – a re-imagination of Brunei’s mythical orang bunian – is pushing his creativity to new limits.
“The series reinterprets orang bunian, often seen as ghostly entities in local folklore, as people from an alternate dimension,” he said.
“It explores their society, politics, and technology, imagining how these dynamics might intersect with Brunei’s context.”
So far, three books in the series have been published. Initially, Dr Aamton had hoped to release the fifth book by now, but balancing the demands of being a full-time physician and author has proven to be an unpredictable journey.
“Life has been full of unexpected twists,” he admitted with a laugh. “The challenge now is, how can I live long enough to complete all 16?”
He admitted to feeling pressure from his readers – a double-edged sword. On one hand, it’s rewarding to know that his work resonates with an audience.
On the other hand, being largely self-published means that the release of a book involves much more than just writing – it requires manageing every step of the process.
Even so, he stressed, staying consistent as a writer is definitely a challenge.
“I guilt-trip myself when readers ask about delayed books – like Gergasi’s Wrath, which had a three-year gap before publication. The writing was done, but the polishing took longer than expected.
“Getting feedback from readers, though, is incredibly motivating. Knowing people are reading your work, even asking for sequels, drives me to continue.”
For Dr Aamton, being an author is about more than just putting his imagination to paper. It’s a way for him to take pride in Brunei’s local heritage while also inspiring more writers to share their stories about the country.
“Over the past decade, more Bruneians are writing books. Each person’s success inspires others to share their stories.”
This, according to the seasoned author, is invaluable, especially when considering the many tales that may have been lost due to the modern world’s pace and the erosion of oral traditions. He believes our folklore is rich with layers of meaning, shaped by periods of colonisation.
“Parents are less likely to pass down fables and folklore, perhaps because today’s children find them irrelevant.”
Given this decline, it’s more crucial than ever for locals to document and share our histories and myths, pushing them to the forefront for readers.
“As Bruneians, we are loving, family-oriented people, and the world could learn from our way of life. That’s why it’s important to write our stories – not just for ourselves, but to share with the world.”
Citing Iceland as an example, where the country has more writers per capita than anywhere else in the world, Dr Aamton noted: “Their Viking mythology is now part of global culture. I dream of Brunei fostering a similar literary legacy, where our unique perspectives shape the world’s understanding of us.”
“With the BU NI AN Conspiracy, I want to build a universe inspired by Brunei but relatable on a global scale.” – Wardi Wasil
