Phantasm Japan: Fantasies Light and Dark, From and About Japan - Softcover

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1421571749 ISBN 13: 9781421571744

Publisher: Haikasoru, 2014

Synopsis

The secret history of the most famous secret agent in the world. A bunny costume that reveals the truth in our souls. The unsettling notion that Japan itself may be a dream. The tastiest meal you’ll never have, a fedora-wearing neckbeard’s deadly date with a yokai, and the worst work shift anyone—human or not—has ever lived through. Welcome to Phantasm Japan.

Nadia Bulkin
Gary A. Braunbeck
Quentin S. Crisp
Project Itoh
Yusaku Kitano
Jacqueline Koyanagi
Alex Dally MacFarlane
James A. Moore
Zachary Mason
Miyuki Miyabe
Lauren Naturale
Tim Pratt
Benjanun Sriduangkaew
Seia Tanabe
Joseph Tomaras
Dempow Torishima
Sayuri Ueda

About this title

About the Author:

Contributors include New York Times best-seller Zachary Mason, international fan favorite Miyuki Miyabe, horror legends Gary A. Braunbeck and James A. Moore, the late Project Itoh with one of his final stories, and Dempow Torishima whose "New Weird" novella is illustrated by the author himself.

From School Library Journal:

Gr 10 Up—Written by different authors, the short stories in this collection are an exploration of speculative fiction in the context of Japanese culture, and will be enthusiastically received by a niche audience that enjoys genre fiction and is familiar with Japan. Newcomers to sci-fi/fantasy and Japanese culture may find the collection tedious and confusing, but the intended audience will revel in discovering the intricacies of each tale's world-building and delight in the appearances of creatures from Japanese myth and folklore. The entries, ranging from humor to horror with a dose of the surreal, are literary and often somewhat experimental in writing style—several use the second-person narrative voice, or switch from present to past tense for effect. Some are translated into English from Japanese; others are written in English about Japan. Standouts include "Shikata Ga Nai: The Bag Lady's Tale" by Gary A. Braunbeck, a haunting story about memory, family, and belonging amid the Japanese American incarceration during World War II, and "For Those Who Hunt Monster Hunters" by Tim Pratt, which explores themes of race, stereotypes, and female empowerment. Most of the stories have fairly minimal teen appeal, with the exception of "Girl, I Love You" by Nadia Bulkin, which focuses on high school bullying and suicide. Buy this unique collection where it will have an audience. VERDICT This atmospheric collection of short stories weaves a mesmerizing web of science fiction and fantasy for the right reader.—Allison Tran, Mission Viejo Library, CA

About this edition

• Publisher: Haikasoru
• Publication date: 2014
• ISBN 10: 1421571749
• ISBN 13: 9781421571744
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 300
• Editor: . Haikasoru