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The Stories of Ibis by Hiroshi Yamamoto
In Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade Harrison Ford’s character explains to a class of students how the search for ‘facts’ is not the same thing as the search for ‘truth’. In the sense of studying...
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Harmony by Project Itoh
The social science-fiction and futuristic dystopia themes have been covered by some very well-known works of fiction: two that stick out clearest in my mind are those of George Orwell’s Nineteen...
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Yukikaze, Unlimited Blade Works and playing to the strengths of the medium
Maybe I’m stating the glaringly obvious here, but since it wasn’t obvious to me until recently I might as well set out my thoughts on it. I’m not saying that the Unlimited Blade Works is a great movie...
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All You Need Is Kill by Hiroshi Sakurazaka
Science fiction doesn’t have to be big or even outwardly clever to be effective. A lot of what I enjoy involves original or elegantly neat ideas that give the “I never thought of that…” reaction but...
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Thoughts on Loups-Garous, first half: the novel
Imagine walking up a high, steep hill on a hot summer’s day to reach a bar or restaurant: the journey’s long, dry and arduous but if what’s on the menu is your thing, the hard slog is worth it in the...
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Mardock Scramble by Tow Ubukata: zawa-zawas, eggs and excellence
I must admit that getting through a 700+ page novel in little more than a week is a rare thing, even when it’s something I really enjoy. This time I think it was because I’ve been impatiently waiting...
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The Next Continent: hard science and a warm heart
I was planning to write a bit about Lord of the Sands of Time but as engaging and imaginative as it is, the whole affair is a bit short so I can’t really think of much to say about it. It’s an...
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Contact and conflict in Macross and Good Luck, Yukikaze
Super Dimensional Fortress Macross and Good Luck Yukikaze are two offerings in the diverse and well-trodden region of speculative fiction in which humanity tries to come to terms with, and survive, an...
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Haikasoru: The Future is Japanese
Viz have been very savvy in their selection of novels to translate and publish in the English-speaking world, with the end result of the Haikasoru imprint being a range of books that I’ve thoroughly...
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On China Miéville, Miyuki Miyabe and genre conventions
Yesterday I finished China Miéville’s Perdido Street Station. It’s a prime example of his ‘New Weird’ brand of fantasy fiction, and my opinion of it reminded me of an old draft of a post I had...
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