
Noto: The Return of the Prince
Author: Prijono Hardjowirogo
Category: Historical Fiction
One rainy night, a skinny boy stood at the door during a solemn occasion, soaking wet, bearing a letter for someone in the family. Noto, the boy, proved himself to be a shrewd and bright young man, top of his class, and, by sheer determination, even established his own company before the tender age of eighteen.
Years later, after accidentally discovered who his mother really was, he was welcomed by the royal family into the inner sanctum. Everyone started to wonder: Who is this Noto? A question that even Noto himself is unable to answer, but then we watch in amazement as Noto’s life and true identity begin to unfold before us.
Set in the heart of Java, from the era of Indonesia’s political turmoil of October 1, 1965, when six generals and one high-ranking army offi cer were kidnapped and murdered, all the way through the modern time, this is a story of someone whose mysterious background marked him as a very special person, someone to be reckoned with.
While this trilogy is a work of fi ction, it is actually also a story about a culture, the Javanese, with its vital royal centers, the Kingdom of Jogya and Solo. The fi rst book chronicles Noto’s childhood, education, and adventure as a soldier; the second illustrates the merger of the Kingdoms of Jogya and Solo to form the Kingdom of New Mataram; while the third shows how Noto masterfully shapes events by working surreptitiously behind the scenes to accomplish his vision.