- Hey there, Kartuneters! How are you? - - This time, I'm going to try writing a review. But not a book review, no. Instead, it's a review of a novel on the online novel platform Fizzo. - Yes, Fizzo is a platform that many people tend to avoid. The stigma that Fizzo often recommends 18+ novels is certainly quite bothersome to many. However, what you should know is that platforms like Fizzo often provide product recommendations based on the number of searches or reads for those products. In this case, novels, of course. So, it's possible that Fizzo doesn't intentionally recommend such novels. Rather, it's Fizzo readers who unknowingly recommend those books to be suggested. - - Well, this time, there's a great novel that has me quite addicted to reading its continuation. The novel is titled Naga, The Street Thug. Written by Mahendra Hendra, this novel tells the story of a former convict and street thug who wants to change his life and his friends' lives for the better. - The main character, Gana, reminds me of the famous Betawi champion, Si Dul. Although there are many differences, the setting heavily features Betawi culture, with detailed explanations of the culture, especially its exciting silat martial arts, which I always compare to Si Dul's. Gana is also a pesantren graduate who aspired to become an ustadz (religious teacher). It was only due to one significant event in Gana's life that he had to plunge into and get entangled in the world of thuggery. - - With a well-paced and straightforward plot, readers won't get bored reading this novel for long. Besides the aforementioned stigma about Fizzo, many Fizzo authors also write novels with convoluted plots to allow for more chapters to be updated daily. Of course, this is not one of those novels. The author skillfully crafts the narrative, seamlessly connecting one event to the next. - Because this novel is updated daily, its plot continuously expands to tell Gana's life story day by day. Gana is certainly not alone. There are always people who offer much inspiration to readers:
- Komar: This king of robbers from Bekasi has the full name Sumarsono. A tall, large man with long hair, he often frightens people. However, because he is incredibly loyal and faithful, he often delivers strange quotes about friendship and loyalty. He is also very silly and annoying.
- Udin: or Syahrudin is Komar's partner. They are often known by one name: Komarudin. They are Gana, the Naga leader's, two right-hand men. Udin has a more serious character than Komar. He is Gana's right-hand man for handling more administrative and formal matters. Udin is also known to follow Gana's way of thinking more closely.
- Ahnad Fuadi: He is Gana's frontline attacker. His silat skills are, of course, unquestionable. But besides practicing silat, Fuad is also a successful tempe entrepreneur. As Gana's attacker, Fuad once sustained a severe injury, which forced him to reduce his activities within the group.
- Badri Panki: A police officer who stands behind Gana, attacking with firearms. Many crimes are ultimately solved by Badri, aided by the Naga group. Behind this police officer's strength and bravery lies a wound that continues to haunt him: infidelity and betrayal that utterly devastated Badri.
- Shila Anjani: The adopted daughter of Gana's foster father, who is later betrothed to Gana. Gana's wife is very jealous, know-it-all, and extremely stubborn. Her struggle to uncover Gana's past is emotionally draining. With her intelligence and ability to make others follow her will, I can't tell if she's a protagonist or an antagonist. 😊
Of course, there are many other characters in this novel that I cannot list one by one. However, their inspirations are truly cool and worth enjoying. Here is the link for Kartuneters who want to read it: ...a young man with a dragon tattoo, a former convict who leads several men with similar fates. He recruits forgotten street thugs and Betawi champions to form a group that can dominate Jakarta. The struggle and life journey of Abdul Gana and his friends to change their fate from being ostracized by society to becoming respected members of society. Naga Preman Jalanan by Mahendra Hendra