Fierceland

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Fierceland is a 2025 novel by Malaysian-Australian writer and musician Omar Musa. It is a finalist in the 2026 Victorian Premier's Prize for Fiction. [1]

The novel follows the children of a wealthy palm oil baron in Sabah, who are traumatised by a trip into the rainforest with their father. Living abroad as adults, they return to Kota Kinabalu for his funeral and must confront their past. [2] [3] The novel addresses environmental degradation and deforestation. It follows several different time periods and locations, and includes elements of poetry and verse, with one poem written by Musa translated into several of the languages of Sabah. [4] Written in English, it also features words from Malay, Manglish and Tamil. [5] The novel was reviewed in The Guardian [2] and The Edge. [6]

References

  1. Mem: 8531584. "Victorian Premier's Literary Awards 2026 shortlists announced | Books+Publishing" . Retrieved 2026-01-14.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  2. 1 2 Heyman-Griffiths, Seren (2025-09-18). "Fierceland by Omar Musa review – poet and rapper's second novel pulses with life". The Guardian. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 2026-01-14.
  3. "In 'Fierceland', Omar Musa returns to Sabah roots to tell a story of family". The Star. 2025-09-21. Retrieved 2026-01-14.
  4. Bianchino, Giacomo (2026-01-11). "The epic novel runs amok in Omar Musa's Fierceland". The Conversation. Retrieved 2026-01-14.
  5. ""Fierceland" by Omar Musa". Asian Review of Books. 2025-08-15. Retrieved 2026-01-14.
  6. "Australian-Sabahan poet Omar Musa's latest novel 'Fierceland' powerfully exemplifies the 'struggle of making'". www.optionstheedge.com. Retrieved 2026-01-14.