Review; United States of JapanReview by Paul Fiander
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Written by: Peter Tieryas
Narrated by: Adam Sims Length: 9 hrs and 53 mins Publisher: Audible Studios |
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History is all about moments, nations have been lost on the turn of a battle and this is the basis for the United States of Japan. The true history of the Second World War is a dense and fascinating tale and Peter Tieryas has set about creating an alternative to the conflict that changed the world.
The basis for the change is the use of Atomic weapons but this story is not really about the war instead it's about the aftermath of the conflict. The Japanese Imperial Army have taken over a large section of the world among with Hitler's Wehrmacht they have divided the spoils of war. However like any conquerors there is an element of distrust between the axis but the real crux of the story centres around the citizens of the USJ. Tieryas does a great job showing how the various sections of the country survive in the new mixing pot. |
The balance between Japanese-Americans, Americans and natural Japanese citizens is looked at from the very start as we find ourselves in a wartime internment camp. From there the story is a series of time jumps no further than the late eighties. The twist of this is it's a fairly more technologically advanced eighties then the one we all lived through. The use of the net and personal phones/pda’s permeates society and through this the powers that be keep a tight leash on the citizenry.
At the centre of all the to’ and fro’s is Ben or Captain Beniko Ishimura to give him his title. A game censor who discs his time analysing games that people play on their Portacles (phone/PDA hybrid). A random phone call from an old superior sets about a struggle to uncover the truth about the USJ and the rebellion by the George Washington’s (American’s who are not happy with the Japanese rule). Ben’s story sees him mixed up with a range of characters from high minded intelligence officers to the best gamers on there planet. The view of the future Tieryas creates is both dystopian and utopian depending on what side of the fence you stand and that gives the narrative a very meaty edge.
At the centre of all the to’ and fro’s is Ben or Captain Beniko Ishimura to give him his title. A game censor who discs his time analysing games that people play on their Portacles (phone/PDA hybrid). A random phone call from an old superior sets about a struggle to uncover the truth about the USJ and the rebellion by the George Washington’s (American’s who are not happy with the Japanese rule). Ben’s story sees him mixed up with a range of characters from high minded intelligence officers to the best gamers on there planet. The view of the future Tieryas creates is both dystopian and utopian depending on what side of the fence you stand and that gives the narrative a very meaty edge.
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There have been comments that this book feels rather brutal against the Japanese and in some ways it is but in my view is more a look at the manner of control. The tactics used by the Imperial Army may be barbaric but war and subjugation of a populous are not pretty ideas. So I think the author stays inside the reasons of what is possible and actually think this is now of a look at the idea of the American spirit. I will say that many of the scenes described are not for the faint of heart and please be aware this is a graphically violent story at times.
The narration by Adam Sims is really good, he adds a variety of voices to the story and helps it move at a nice pace. I did not expect this book to play out the way it did, I thought there would be more video games and giant robots going by the cover and blurb. These things are in there but instead we get a look at the way survive and thrive in a world altered drastically from the one we know. Tieryas has set up a detailed world that I hope we will get to return to in the not too distant future. |
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