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Mecha Samurai Empire series

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Mecha Samurai Empire series
AuthorPeter Tieryas
Cover artistJohn Liberto
Publisher

The Mecha Samurai Empire series is a trilogy of alternate-history science fiction novels written by American author Peter Tieryas.[1] The series centers around an alternate America, known as the United States of Japan, after the Nazis and Japanese Empire have emerged victorious in World War II.[2] The stories focus primarily on Asian communities since the war, depicting the struggles of survivors in a new totalitarian fascist regime. The novels explore themes such as government propaganda and the blurring of fact and fiction.[3] Each book in the series is a standalone novel in the same shared universe, featuring different protagonists, antagonists, and conflicts. The series has been the recipient of several awards, twice receiving the Seiun Award for Best Foreign Novel.[4] The first title in the series was published by Angry Robot in 2016; the latter two were published by Ace Books, with the last title being released in 2020.[5][6] In Japan, all three books are published by Hayakawa Publishing under the New Hayakawa Science Fiction Series imprint.

Genesis

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The series began as "a story revolving around the tragic events on the Asian side of WWII." Tieryas, who spent several years in Asia, experienced a different perspective on the war versus what he studied in schools in America.[7] The book is strongly inspired by books like The Man in the High Castle, Nineteen Eighty-Four, Moby-Dick, as well as the works of Hideo Kojima like Metal Gear Solid II.[8] In particular, the contrast between the way histories often "censor" the horrific elements, presenting a glorified account of them, alarmed him. He originally intended it to be one book, United States of Japan, which focused on the conflict with the terrorist organization, the George Washingtons. But he felt there were areas of the universe he wanted to explore more thoroughly. The success of the first book opened the door for the duology of Mecha Samurai Empire and Cyber Shogun Revolution, which revolved around the battle with the Nazis. His agent, Misa Morikawa, came up with the title for the series. Tieryas credits his Ace Roc editor, Anne Sowards, for helping come up with the title for Cyber Shogun Revolution (titles included Sons of Wars and The Revolution of the Bloody Mechas).[9]

Books

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The Mecha Samurai Empire series comprises three novels and several short stories. While the books can be read in any order, the author has described his intended sequence to be Mecha Samurai Empire, Cyber Shogun Revolution, and lastly United States of Japan.[9]

Art

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Cyber Shogun Revolution art gallery in the Yurindo Bookstore in Akihabara, Japan

Most of the covers and mecha designs are done by illustrator John Liberto. Hokkaido graphic designer Gen Igarashi often creates new art and was featured in the special edition of the Japanese version of Mecha Samurai Empire.[10] Director Guillermo del Toro, upon seeing the art from the series, reacted with a "Wow!" [11]

An art gallery featuring art from the entire series was showcased in Akihabara, Japan.

Reception

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Popular Mechanics included United States of Japan as one of 16 Sci-Fi Things to Look Forward to in 2016, stating: "It's more the cyberpunk dystopia William Gibson promised us than the actual 1980s we know, with giant mechs enforcing the law and police trying to squash an underground gaming success that lets players imagine what might've happened if the allied powers won World War II. It sounds like a perfect patchwork of multiple sci-fi and anime subgenres rolled into one novel."[12] Publishers Weekly named USJ as one of the top 10 anticipated Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror books.[13] Kirkus Reviews listed it as one of "The Speculative Fiction Books You Can't Miss in March."[14] The Verge named the novel as one of the Best Books Science Fiction and Fantasy Novels of 2016.[15]

Financial Times stated, "The novel deftly portrays the horrors of oppression but also, with its giant military robots, sumo wrestlers and body-transforming technology, is a gleeful love letter to Japanese pop culture."[16] Barnes & Noble Science Fiction and Fantasy Blog said, "United States of Japan mixes alt-history with pulp-history, the plausible with the fantastical, in a vision of the 1980s with the glossy sheen and rain-slick neon of vintage cyberpunk."[17] Anthony Jones of SF Book Reviews stated: "United States of Japan is a tremendous book; it's got a wonderfully dark and rich atmosphere, great action, intelligent and twisted story and above all, not only does it pay homage to one of the finest authors of the 20th century but also continues one of his most celebrated and yet most difficult works — simply wonderful."[18] io9 reviewer Andrew Liptak wrote, "Tieryas has created a unique alternate world and populated it with fantastic characters and fixtures."[19] In a mixed review, N. Ho Sang of SF Signal writes: "United States of Japan is a smart, gut-wrenching alternative reality that blurs lines between hope with a focus on emotional truths of human nature", but "there are small moments where transitions in environment, scenes and character developments may present themselves as sudden shifts, and feel slightly jarring."[20]

United States of Japan has been translated and published in Japan, Spain,[21] Chile, China, Colombia, Czech Republic, and Mexico. It became a Nikkei Best Seller [22] and the Japanese edition went to its 7th printing in the first month,[23] receiving acclaim from Asahi Shimbun,[24] Yomiuri Shimbun,[25] and Gizmodo Japan.[26] S-F Magazine's Yearly Poll of Japan's Top Science Fiction selected United States of Japan as #2 of the best Best International Science Fiction.[27] It won the 2017 Seiun Award [28] and won 2nd Place for the Japan Booksellers' Award.[29]

For Mecha Samurai Empire, Amazon Book Reviews listed it as one of the top Science Fiction and Fantasy Books of September 2018, stating, "Readers of alternate history will enjoy the details of the Japanese culture enfolded into the US and the ongoing tensions with the Nazis, while the plot itself packs a punch."[30] Financial Times included Mecha Samurai Empire as one of the best science fiction books of 2018, describing it as "action-packed and rousing."[31] Syfy Wire said the book was "an adrenalized fusion of Philip K. Dick's The Man in the High Castle and Guillermo del Toro's Pacific Rim as rampaging robots prowl a very different America."[3]

Hideo Kojima praised the book, stating it intermixes "the experience of cinema, literature, anime, comics, and gaming" and "is the new generation of Science Fiction we’ve been waiting for!” [32]

It won the 2019 Seiun Award and was the first consecutive book in a series to win in over twenty years.[33]

References

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  1. ^ Han, Jimin (2016-02-27). "Interview with Peter Tieryas Liu, Author of 'The United States of Japan'". Hyphen Magazine. Retrieved 2023-01-12.
  2. ^ Abbott, Alana Joli (2019-01-18). "Alternate Japan in Speculative Fiction: United States of Japan & Ninth Step Station". Den of Geek. Archived from the original on Oct 21, 2023. Retrieved 2023-01-12.
  3. ^ a b Spry, Jeff (Sep 10, 2018). "Exclusive: Mecha Samurai Empire chapter excerpt and interview with author Peter Tieryas". Syfy Wire. Archived from the original on 2018-09-11.
  4. ^ "2019 Seiun Awards Winners". 29 July 2019.
  5. ^ Liptak, Andrew (2018-02-01). "Mecha Samurai Empire imagines that America lost WWII — also there are giant robots". The Verge. Archived from the original on Oct 21, 2023.
  6. ^ Liptak, Andrew (2020-03-02). "20 new science fiction and fantasy books to check out in March". Polygon. Archived from the original on May 31, 2023. Retrieved 2023-01-12.
  7. ^ Liptak, Andrew (2016-02-27). "Explore Alternate Histories With Peter Tieryas' Giant Mechs and Man in the High Castle". Gizmodo. Archived from the original on Nov 7, 2019.
  8. ^ "The Brutal Lessons Gaming Taught Me About Revolutions, Robots, and War". 8 February 2020.
  9. ^ a b Tieryas, Peter (26 April 2020). "【寄稿】小島秀夫監督の素晴らしい作品たちが、いかにしてピーター・トライアスのSf小説『サイバー・ショーグン・レボリューション』に影響したか". IGN Japan. Archived from the original on Oct 21, 2023.
  10. ^ Plunkett, Luke (2018-04-19). "Fight! Fight! FIGHT!". Kotaku. Archived from the original on Oct 21, 2023.
  11. ^ @RealGDT (5 April 2018). "Wow!!" (Tweet). Archived from the original on 26 Jan 2024 – via Twitter.
  12. ^ Wenz, John (1 January 2016). "16 Sci-Fi Things To Look Forward To in 2016". Popular Mechanics. Archived from the original on Oct 21, 2023.
  13. ^ Fox, Rose (December 18, 2015). "Spring 2016 Announcements: SF, Fantasy & Horror: Worlds Turned Upside Down". Publishers Weekly. Archived from the original on Oct 21, 2023.
  14. ^ DeNardo, John (March 2, 2016). "The Speculative Fiction Books You Can't Miss in March". Kirkus Reviews. Archived from the original on Jan 21, 2020.
  15. ^ Liptak, Andrew (28 December 2016). "The 11 best science fiction and fantasy novels of 2016". The Verge. Archived from the original on Dec 15, 2023.
  16. ^ "'United States of Japan', by Peter Tieryas". Financial Times. 4 March 2016.
  17. ^ Ceridwenchristensen (2 March 2016). "United States of Japan Is a Sobering Alt-History Spun from the Dark Threads of the Past". B&N Reads. Archived from the original on Oct 4, 2023.
  18. ^ Ant (Feb 16, 2016). "Book review of The United States of Japan by Peter Tieryas". SFBook. Archived from the original on Oct 21, 2023.
  19. ^ Liptak, Andrew (16 April 2016). "The United States of Japan Shows What Happens When Ideology Crumbles". io9. Archived from the original on Feb 4, 2021.
  20. ^ Sang, Narelle Ho (8 March 2016). "[Guest Review] Narelle Ho Sang Reviews United States of Japan by Peter Tieryas Liu". SF Signal. Archived from the original on Aug 13, 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  21. ^ Alós, Ernest (21 February 2017). "Peter Tieryas: "Es más plausible 'Un mundo feliz' que '1984'"". elperiodico. Archived from the original on Oct 21, 2023.
  22. ^ 日本経済新聞社・日経BP社 (8 November 2016). "ベストセラー 文庫ランキング （10月23日～29日）｜エンタメ！". NIKKEI STYLE.
  23. ^ "SF小説「ユナイテッド・ステイツ・オブ・ジャパン」累計4万部突破 日本統治下のアメリカを描く". アニメ！アニメ！. 27 October 2016. Archived from the original on Oct 21, 2023.
  24. ^ "（売れてる本）『ユナイテッド・ステイツ・オブ・ジャパン』（上・下）：朝日新聞デジタル". 朝日新聞デジタル.
  25. ^ "【エンタメ小説月評】普遍的で切実な「ＳＦ」". Yomiuri Shimbun. November 24, 2016. Archived from the original on Jan 28, 2019.
  26. ^ 岡本玄介 (9 August 2016). "巨大ロボを持つ日本がアメリカを支配する小説｢ユナイテッド・ステイツ・オブ・ジャパン｣の邦訳版が発売決定". gizmodo.jp.
  27. ^ "ＳＦが読みたい！２０１７年版". ハヤカワ・オンライン. Archived from the original on Oct 26, 2023.
  28. ^ "2017年 第48回星雲賞". sf-fan.gr.jp. 22 Aug 2017. Archived from the original on Oct 26, 2023.
  29. ^ Glyer, Mike (16 April 2017). "2017 Seiun Award Nominees". File 770. Archived from the original on Nov 20, 2023.
  30. ^ Liang, Adrian (September 10, 2018). "Best Science Fiction and Fantasy of September: 6 Top Picks". Amazon Book Reviews. Archived from the original on Apr 19, 2019.
  31. ^ Lovegrove, James (23 November 2018). "Best science fiction books of 2018". Financial Times.
  32. ^ @HIDEO_KOJIMA_EN (3 April 2018). "I was fortunate to read @TieryasXu 's new novel Mecha Samurai Empire in advance. Making his devastating debut with…" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  33. ^ Loo, Egan (2019-07-27). "SSSS.GRIDMAN, Girls' Last Tour Win at 50th Seiun Science-Fiction Awards". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on Jan 13, 2024.
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