INSUFFICIENTLY ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY
Katrina Olan’s Tablay sets up an intriguing transmedia franchise - at the cost of a satisfying novel.
originally written for the SEA Lit Circle readers group, June 2021
Tablay is a sci-fi mech adventure set against the backdrop of a fortified, walled Manila, under permanent threat from bio-mechanical aswang marauders. The plot is built around the experiences of newbie elite striker Anya Valerio. There's a mix of inter-personal drama, military squad dynamics, Pinoy pop mythology, conspiracy lore, and hints of unli-wartime drama.
I respect the ambitious scope of the book, as it tries to balance the different sub-genre elements. Katrina Olan excels at snappy, Whedon-esque ensemble squad dynamics and clever ways of mashing up broad Pinoy "lower" mythology with mecha genre tropes.
However, the most intriguing world-building elements—unli-conflict resource scarcity, modern political allegory, hints at ecological themes—felt half-baked, at least in novel format. And even then, these aspects are explored via heavy exposition that tells more than it shows. At some points, it almost feels like reading the internal wiki or in-house series 'bible'.
All of this makes Tablay-the-novel feel like a soft pilot for Tablay-the-transmedia-franchise. This impression is supported by Tablay's spin-off content: limited run tie-in zines, a streaming radio play, an upcoming graphic novel adaptation, and the forthcoming Tablay: After Hours short fiction anthology (which Olan herself compared to "DLC"). It leaves me hopeful for the long-term plans, but somewhat short-changed right now.
I would cautiously recommend Tablay for open-minded multi-genre readers who might be curious about an unlikely mashup of Pinoy mythology, Shingeki no Kyojin (Attack on Titan), Ender's Game, and Pacific Rim.