“Sigben” – The Infinite Library and Other Stories

Infinite SFW March 2017 (2)

My YA story about shape-changing robots modeled after the Sigben (Sigbin) of Philippine myth has been translated into Chinese. The original appeared in the book Science Fiction: Filipino Fiction for Young Adults (2016, eds. Dean Francis Alfar & Kenneth Yu) from the University of the Philippines Press.

The translation appeared last month in China’s Science Fiction World. With a circulation of +300,000 and 3 to 5 readers per copy, Wikipedia estimates that SF World has a total readership of about one million people — making it the world’s most popular Science Fiction periodical.

“Infinite Degrees of Freedom” is my second story in this venue, after 2015’s “Blessed Are The Hungry” (which originally appeared in Apex 62).

Infinite SFW March 2017 (1)

Sadly, the artist for my story did not use the Sigben visual references I provided. The monster illustrated above looks more like a mutant snubbull from Pokemon Go.

My first YA story “Infinite Degrees of Freedom” was was accepted in “Science Fiction: Filipino Fiction for Young Adults”.

This far-future coming-of-age tale is about a boy trying to bond with his estranged (and distant) father while on a road trip to salvage nano-tech from old battlefields.

This work also features a lesser known Filipino mythical creature called a “Sigben” or “Sigbin” which has been described by various sources as a bloodthirsty Chupacabra-like chimera that’s half dog, half reptile or half goat (more from Wikipedia). Yes, its an obscure Visayan monster in a space opera setting. So sue me.

Before this story I had no idea how hard it actually was to write YA fiction. I’m happy I did and I might write more in the future if people like this.

Thanks once again to editors Dean Francis Alfar and Kenneth Yu ! ‪

Tag: “Sigben”

“Infinite Degrees of Freedom” now in Science Fiction World

“Infinite Degrees of Freedom” will be in “Science Fiction: Filipino Fiction for Young Adults”