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maria_pulver's review against another edition
4.0
Though the plot is developing between different decorations, it resembles [b:The Man in the High Castle|216363|The Man in the High Castle|Philip K. Dick|https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1448756803s/216363.jpg|2398287] very much. Not only there are similar settings of Japan occupying parts of the USA as a result of WWII, but the real world of Japaneese rule and the imaginary world of Allied Victory are present as well.
The protagonist, Beniko Ishimura, is not a likable person and neither are any of the other characters. However, some of them are redeemed by the end of the book. The plot movements are uneven, but are logically expected. The description of the atrocities of the totalitarian regine, the life under secret police, the conformity of the majority and non-conformity of some is very precicely shown throu examples.
I liked the book, but it won't be a one to return to.
The protagonist, Beniko Ishimura, is not a likable person and neither are any of the other characters. However, some of them are redeemed by the end of the book. The plot movements are uneven, but are logically expected. The description of the atrocities of the totalitarian regine, the life under secret police, the conformity of the majority and non-conformity of some is very precicely shown throu examples.
I liked the book, but it won't be a one to return to.
lordfinkelgravy's review against another edition
2.0
Entertaining and far more coherent than The Man in the High Castle. It was a nice diversion from "heavier" reads.
chriscoman's review against another edition
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
shoggoth_roof's review against another edition
5.0
Nunca habría imaginado una continuación para El hombre en el castillo de Philip K. Dick y, por suerte, no me fijé en la mención a esta obra en la contraportada antes de comenzar la lectura de Estados Unidos de Japón. Creo que gracias a este hecho he podido disfrutar más del homenaje y establecer menos comparaciones entre ambas. ¡Pero qué bien llevado está este homenaje!
El personaje de Beniko Ishimura me ha cautivado, pero es que el de Akiko Tsukino no se queda atrás en interés. Me he preocupado mucho por ambos según avanzaba la obra y me han hecho leer más páginas, a pesar de las altas horas, para saber qué era de sus vidas.
Me encanta cómo está contada la historia, y especialmente cómo se usan los saltos en el tiempo. Cada capítulo va a momentos interesantes, aunque a veces te puedes perder con las horas, y el orden en el que se encuentra hace que todo sea más grande, más importante y más emocionante. Mención especial a las referencias de comida por el personaje de Ben.
Todavía sigo impresionada por la historia.
El personaje de Beniko Ishimura me ha cautivado, pero es que el de Akiko Tsukino no se queda atrás en interés. Me he preocupado mucho por ambos según avanzaba la obra y me han hecho leer más páginas, a pesar de las altas horas, para saber qué era de sus vidas.
Me encanta cómo está contada la historia, y especialmente cómo se usan los saltos en el tiempo. Cada capítulo va a momentos interesantes, aunque a veces te puedes perder con las horas, y el orden en el que se encuentra hace que todo sea más grande, más importante y más emocionante. Mención especial a las referencias de comida por el personaje de Ben.
Todavía sigo impresionada por la historia.
tokyolundon's review against another edition
4.0
Cool concept. Big fan of man in the high castle and this felt like it went that same path.
iicydiamonds's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
lfrom's review against another edition
2.0
The beginning of this book is a knock-out. From the first sentence you know you're in for a provocative view of history as written by a different winner of WWII. That kind of 'disturbing' appeals to me. However, the extreme violence made it difficult to stay with the narrative. The empire seems exaggerated in its paranoia and use of torture. The Mecha and video gaming aspects worked well for me - just enough to spice things up. Overall, a good read with poignant moments and interesting twists.
Thanks for the free copy via Goodreads Giveaway.
Thanks for the free copy via Goodreads Giveaway.
leviathandreamer's review against another edition
2.0
Plot- and enjoyment-wise, this book is a 2,5* read. While the theme is very promising and intriguing (even though it's one hell of a cliché, but cyberpunk dystopia + videogames = yes, please), it ceases to be interesting earlier than halfway through.
It's a pity the world isn't portrayed in more detail. I don't see a problem with covert depictions (which we kinda get I guess, from the characters' memories/behaviour and principles), but everything feels rather flat in the end. The author listed an impressive list of sources he apparently used as an inspiration and study material. Well, I couldn't care less about historical and factual accuracy (and I might be wrong, but I don't think anyone expects a huge amount of it when reading a book that's calling itself ''alternative history''), but I do care about immersion and complexity, and this book lacks both. The ending was pretty predictable and full of unnecessary pathos, although I appreciate the major character revelation that came right before.
Which brings me to the next aspect - the main characters made me want to shoot myself in the neck (if you find this statement dramatic for whatever reason, don't read the book). Even though they had moving backstories (I guess), dynamic (I guess) and the occasional sarcastic banter, their personalities were just insufferable. Ben is painfully passive and has the personality of a wet mop (actually, I'd rather talk to the mop than to this person). Akiko is the ''action girl'' - she even saves Ben several times and is just generally much more competent than he is... which she points out at every opportunity she gets, and she also calls him out on being weak and too compassionate and useless, because he doesn't want to kill and cannot torture others like she can (yay, girl power, right?). She would also literally suck the Emperor's dick 24/7 if he let her (which she later lowkey denies by admitting having feelings of guilt and fear of the regime, but it was painfully obvious that even the author didn't care much about the ''character development'' at this point).
The last (and major) issue with this book is, in my opinion, the writing. I read this book in translation, so I was willing to give the author the benefit of the doubt and just assumed the translation was a bit wacky. After browsing through the reviews a bit, I now feel the urge to send an apologise note to the translator because I'm sure they must have felt suicidal at some points during the process. The attempts at innovative, original and vivid writing end up being this (the quote stolen from another review I liked very much):
"The lemon grass and kaffir limes contributed to the international canal of coconut juice flowing through the intestines of everyone passing through the valley."
...what?
Almost as if the author grabbed a dictionary, used an online thesaurus bot and just rewrote a normal sentence into this pretentious and cringey mess.
Or - ''Just about as if the indite grabbed a wordbook, utilised an online wordbook larva and rightfully rewrote a standard declare into this artsy-craftsy and cringey messiness.'' (I used a reddit bot for this. See? Very similar.)
The over-the-top and grotesque violence and the occasional drop of random Japanese sentences doesn't really help the overal image of this seeming more like a fan-fiction. Absolutely doesn't deserve the comparison to Dick or Gibson. The first one goes without saying. As for Gibson, although Tieryas attempts to channel some of Gibson's manic, dizzying and carnal imagery, he's nowhere on his level - and I don't even like the Sprawl trilogy that much, but Gibson's world building is brilliant and so is his writing; although it's extra as hell, it never feels forced. Which is exactly what this book is.
It's a pity the world isn't portrayed in more detail. I don't see a problem with covert depictions (which we kinda get I guess, from the characters' memories/behaviour and principles), but everything feels rather flat in the end. The author listed an impressive list of sources he apparently used as an inspiration and study material. Well, I couldn't care less about historical and factual accuracy (and I might be wrong, but I don't think anyone expects a huge amount of it when reading a book that's calling itself ''alternative history''), but I do care about immersion and complexity, and this book lacks both. The ending was pretty predictable and full of unnecessary pathos, although I appreciate the major character revelation that came right before.
Which brings me to the next aspect - the main characters made me want to shoot myself in the neck (if you find this statement dramatic for whatever reason, don't read the book). Even though they had moving backstories (I guess), dynamic (I guess) and the occasional sarcastic banter, their personalities were just insufferable. Ben is painfully passive and has the personality of a wet mop (actually, I'd rather talk to the mop than to this person). Akiko is the ''action girl'' - she even saves Ben several times and is just generally much more competent than he is... which she points out at every opportunity she gets, and she also calls him out on being weak and too compassionate and useless, because he doesn't want to kill and cannot torture others like she can (yay, girl power, right?). She would also literally suck the Emperor's dick 24/7 if he let her (which she later lowkey denies by admitting having feelings of guilt and fear of the regime, but it was painfully obvious that even the author didn't care much about the ''character development'' at this point).
The last (and major) issue with this book is, in my opinion, the writing. I read this book in translation, so I was willing to give the author the benefit of the doubt and just assumed the translation was a bit wacky. After browsing through the reviews a bit, I now feel the urge to send an apologise note to the translator because I'm sure they must have felt suicidal at some points during the process. The attempts at innovative, original and vivid writing end up being this (the quote stolen from another review I liked very much):
"The lemon grass and kaffir limes contributed to the international canal of coconut juice flowing through the intestines of everyone passing through the valley."
...what?
Almost as if the author grabbed a dictionary, used an online thesaurus bot and just rewrote a normal sentence into this pretentious and cringey mess.
Or - ''Just about as if the indite grabbed a wordbook, utilised an online wordbook larva and rightfully rewrote a standard declare into this artsy-craftsy and cringey messiness.'' (I used a reddit bot for this. See? Very similar.)
The over-the-top and grotesque violence and the occasional drop of random Japanese sentences doesn't really help the overal image of this seeming more like a fan-fiction. Absolutely doesn't deserve the comparison to Dick or Gibson. The first one goes without saying. As for Gibson, although Tieryas attempts to channel some of Gibson's manic, dizzying and carnal imagery, he's nowhere on his level - and I don't even like the Sprawl trilogy that much, but Gibson's world building is brilliant and so is his writing; although it's extra as hell, it never feels forced. Which is exactly what this book is.
markmtz's review
5.0
This was a tough but fascinating mecha ride into an alternate history hell. Could this happen in our timeline?
aldoojeda's review against another edition
3.0
I got this books as a giveaway in the good ol' days of SF Signal and finally got to read it! USJ is like a mix of Philip K. Dick, a tiny bit of William Gibson, and your favorite things from 80's anime.