Filipino author Atty. Darwin de Jesus Mariano brings the country’s pre-colonial past to life in Namwaran and the Golden Tara, a historical fantasy novel inspired by the Laguna Copperplate Inscription and the Golden Tara of Agusan.

Launched at the Manila International Book Fair after a decade of writing and research, the novel arrives as the Laguna Copperplate is being evaluated for inclusion in UNESCO’s Memory of the World Committee for Asia and the Pacific Regional Register.

Set across centuries of Southeast Asian history, the story follows siblings Namwaran, Angkatan, and Bukah as they search for their missing mother and the stolen Golden Tara. Guided by mystical amulets that grant long life, they journey through the Srivijaya and Majapahit empires before witnessing the arrival of the Spanish in Luzon.

Blending history, mythology and adventure, the novel explores themes of family, identity, grief, and survival while drawing from some of the Philippines’ most treasured cultural heritage. The book also features illustrations by Filipino comic artist Miko Pica, with contributions from Indonesian colorist Fauzi Nugraha and Singaporean type designer John Poh.