Nandy Baldonado Releases 'The Dragon Who Swallowed The Sun & The Moon', A Mythic Historical Epic Of Resistance&Survival

The Dragon Who Swallowed the Sun and the Moon

Set In Precolonial Philippines, The Novel Blends Legend And History To Explore Memory, Love, And Defiance In The Face Of Imperial Conquest

NEW YORK CITY, NY, UNITED STATES, December 16, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Author Nandy Baldonado unveils The Dragon Who Swallowed the Sun and the Moon, a sweeping historical epic that fuses myth, memory, and emotional realism into a powerful narrative of resistance and legacy. Set in the precolonial Philippines during the arrival of Spanish conquistadors, the novel offers a deeply human portrayal of indigenous communities confronting the erosion of sovereignty, spirituality, and identity.

At the heart of the story are the clans of the Manobos and the Tigbulis, proud and spiritually rich peoples whose political structures and ancestral traditions are threatened by colonial violence. Baldonado situates their struggle not only on the battlefield, but within the psyche, depicting the Spanish invasion as a theological and psychological assault justified by imperial dogma and papal authority. Against this force stands a story older than conquest itself: the legend of the Bakunawa, a sea serpent said to swallow the sun and the moon.

In Baldonado’s telling, the Bakunawa becomes more than myth. Though the Manobos do not believe the creature is literally real, they invoke its story as a symbol of unity, remembrance, and survival. Storytelling itself becomes an act of resistance, proof that even as weapons are taken and leaders fall, cultural memory endures. The myth binds the people together when physical defenses fail, transforming narrative into a living force.

Interwoven with this collective struggle is a tragic love story between DayBulan and Lapu Lapu, explored most poignantly in Chapter 14. Their bond, torn apart by dynastic duty and political necessity, mirrors the broader sacrifices demanded by a world in upheaval. The tension between love and obligation echoes throughout the novel, underscoring the personal cost of survival under occupation.

Baldonado’s prose is cinematic and deliberate, shifting seamlessly between sweeping battle scenes and intimate moments of grief and reflection. The aftermath of violence is rendered with poetic restraint. Funeral pyres, silence, and ritualized mourning become spaces where meaning is preserved. Characters such as Datu Zula, a reluctant leader bound by loss; Tapang, a warrior-spy turned bridge between clans; and Enrique, an interpreter caught between conquest and kinship, embody the moral and emotional complexity of the era.

Inspired by Filipino mythology, ancestral history, and the enduring power of oral tradition, Baldonado wrote The Dragon Who Swallowed the Sun and the Moon as a testament to cultural survival.

The book is now available. Secure your copy here: https://a.co/d/1DXChm0

For review copies, interview requests, or additional information, please contact:

Nandy Baldonado
BrightKey PR
baldonadonandy@gmail.com

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