Contemporary Authors

• Toru: Wayfarer Returns - 2016 Palantir Press, Leadville, CO

• SFF World - http://www.sffworld.com/2016/08/interview-with-toru-wayfarer-returns-author-stephanie-r-sorensen/

  Interview with Toru: Wayfarer Returns author Stephanie R. Sorensen

  Dag R.
  August 15, 2016
  0 Comment
  with-stravinskysquaresmallToru: Wayfarer Returns is an alternate history steampunk novel set in 1850’s Japan on the eve of Commodore Perry and his Black Ships arrival to Edo. We interview its creator and author, Stephanie R. Sorenson.

  Welcome to SFFWorld, Stephanie, How would you describe Toru: Wayfarer Returns in your own words? What do you feel is unique about your story?

  Toru: Wayfarer Returns is a First Contact story about a young man thrust into the middle of a pivotal moment in Japanese history as Japan collided with the West. Revolutionary samurai with dirigibles.

  Toru is unique for several reasons. Japan setting for a steampunkish novel. Alternate history set in Japan well before WWII, the time period most often explored by alternate history writers working with Japanese material like the great Harry Turtledove. Fantasy that involves the speed of an industrial revolution, not elves, dragons or sentient mechanical beings. A cast of characters who are truly Japanese, not white guys in samurai drag or Japanese led by a “great white hope” parachuting in to save the natives. I loved the movie The Last Samurai, but come on. Did Ken Watanabe REALLY need an alcoholic, grumpy American Civil War veteran to train his troops?!

  You obviously have a deep knowledge of Japanese history. Was it easy to see what needed to be included for readers not familiar with this part of Japanese history? How did you get the right balance?

  My strategy was to focus on the characters and experience the history as they confronted it. From the early 1850s to 1868, the tumultuous liminal period between the fall of the Tokugawa regime and the Restoration of the Meiji Emperor, Japan was definitely suffering from the Chinese curse “May you live in interesting times.” I didn’t want to write a history book, so I had to show Japan’s internal conflicts and the external pressure from the West blowing up the old order through my characters and their relationships.

  The fun part is that once I found my protagonist and his goal—a shipwrecked young man who, Prometheus-like, brings Western technology back to strengthen Japan—his background emerged serendipitously as I meandered through the history books. I needed a rebel lord to embody resistance to the Tokugawa regime. I went looking for one, and the research gods led me to the Shimazu clan of Satsuma. They had everything: the right location, wealth and power, a family obsession with the West and Western gadgets, a history of resistance to the Tokugawa regime, a newly installed lord of just the right age, marital status and political bent for my story. So I didn’t have to do a history lesson, just let the reader discover Toru’s background and the history and politics came built right in.

  Banana map

  I did not include a map in my book, an omission I regret. I will include one in the next book. In the meantime, here is a simplified map of Japan that captures the essential geopolitical situation facing the Japanese during the timeframe of Toru’s story. Team Toru, holding the banana tips, faces off against Team Tokugawa Shogun on the capital Edo (Tokyo) sticker in the middle. The whole banana needed to unite to fight the foreign threat.

  You have lived in Japan and as such have first-hand knowledge about the country and the culture. However, Japan today and in the 1850’s are two different things. Did you do a lot of research? I also know there is a beer story here?

  I’ll toss out for consideration a pair of concepts from Japan, of hon-ne and tate-mae, the “essential nature” and “surface appearance.” Japan’s surface appearance, the avant-garde fashions and fads of its young people and the striking Japanese hunger for novelty and innovation make it appear as though Japan is dramatically and rapidly changing all the time, and of course it is.

  And yet, see renowned Japanese fashion designer Rei Kawakubo’s Fall 2016 offering, where she was “imagining punks in the 18th century, which was a time of so many revolutions.” Yes, it is very fresh and modern, with echoes of 18th century decadence and 21st century punk, but does anyone else see a family resemblance here with ye olde classic samurai armor? Plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose…

  I would argue that if you look more deeply, the underlying structures and cultural values of Japanese society are and have been remarkably stable through decades and even centuries. So in one sense I was writing from my personal experience studying and working in Japan although my characters were set in the 1850s. I felt fairly safe in relying on that personal experience, backed up by research, because the cultural values I experienced living there are also the ones I found in Japanese literature and history, like the quintessentially Japanese emphasis on values of loyalty, duty and obligation.

  I did a lot of research though, to make sure I didn’t get anything outrageously wrong. I made a rule that any technology I used had to have been invented and disseminated by 1852, so Toru could learn about it and bring it back for Japan.

  So sewing machines (1846) and dirigibles (1852).

  Same for food and drink, which brings us to beer!

  Japan today is famous for making really great beer. If you have spent even a night in Tokyo or watched a single Japanese contemporary movie, you know that Japanese men enjoy their beer after work. So I wanted Toru and Jiro and Takamori to enjoy a foamy mug as well after their long hours of revolutionary labors. I went looking for historically accurate brand names to drop. To my shock and horror, I discovered that beer was a foreign import that came a decade or so later. So no beer for the boys. They had to stick to sake.

  I tweaked or ignored a few things though, because fiction!

  For example, while Masuyo was a master of the naginata¸ an aristocratic woman’s weapon, I did not have Masuyo blacken her teeth, as elegant aristocratic women of the period would have. The practice was banned anyway in 1870 and I decided it would just freak Western readers out without contributing to the story. I also borrowed a revolutionary slogan and the dropping of messages on paper from the sky that occurred a few years later, figuring anyone savvy enough to know I had done so would forgive me and understand why. And the fantasy elements like dirigibles are stolen straight from Western steampunk stories.

  toruwayfarerYou also use quite a few Japanese words, even invent some new ones. Why do you feel it was important to include the Japanese words?

  Haha, yes, my insistence on including Japanese words, a decision hated by half my readers and loved by the other half. I pretty much worship James Clavell as a historical fiction writer and he included Japanese words. So for the haters out there, if it was good enough for Clavell, it’s good enough for me.

  My whole family read Clavell’s Shogun, swapping a dog-eared copy around long ago. My brother to this day goes around shouting “Hai, Karimastas!” which is not Japanese at all, but is his corrupted memory of “Hai, wakarimashita!” for “I understand!” So, remembering how we engaged with that novel so enthusiastically, I wanted the same experience of a taste of Japan and Japanese for my readers.

  Every anime fan, for example, knows “Baka!” (“idiot/fool”) so I wanted my readers to pick up a bit as well, words like “sword” and “lord” they would have learned living in a samurai-era world. Although, come to think of it, “baka” got edited out as too modern and Western anime fan-boy, replaced by the more refined “Utsuke!” by my Japanese beta readers. Anyone who glazes over when their eyes hit the Japanese words can just glide by and ignore the Japanese if they want—they won’t miss any story.

  I understand defining the genre was a bit difficult. Care to explain and is genre actually that important?

  A great story trumps genre, so most of all I focused on writing the best story possible. Readers get to decide if I succeeded.

  Genre is important, though. Readers expecting one genre will be outraged if you serve them something else. I originally set out to write an alternate history steampunk story. Alternate history is a genre that falls within and overlaps steampunk and often includes a lot of real history as I did with Toru. So I marketed it as steampunk alternate history, through cover design and so forth. I’ve learned, however, that some steampunk and samurai adventure fans attracted to my cover are looking for a more fantastical and violent action adventure story than the history-rich drama I discovered I had written when I got done. Historical fiction and non-steampunk alternate history fans love it, although they are perplexed by the steampunk dirigibles. Ah well. At the end of the day, revolutionary samurai with dirigibles are just inherently cool. So whatever genre that is, that is what I have written.

  You also have to tell us a bit about the “modern” quotes you have included at the beginning of each chapter.

  I realize some readers find the quotes jarring, throwing them out of immersion in the Japanese setting and period, which is a fair criticism. I will blame my hunger to explain Japan. I included quotes outside of the time, culture and place of Toru’s story in an attempt to transmit understanding of Japan’s situation and culture to Western readers who may not understand quotes and context drawn purely from Japanese sources unfamiliar to them.

  George III’s quote about traitors is analogous to the Shogun’s view of traitors and underlines the stakes for Toru and his friends. Like the American Revolutionaries, they will have to fight for their freedom. Aragorn commenting on loyalty and fealty conveys the intensity of Japanese feelings on those values in a way the diehard Tolkien fan will immediately grasp. Nelson Mandela quoted on why a good man must become an outlaw in an unjust society or John F. Kennedy explaining what drives a good man to violent revolution exactly captures the situation of the rebels against the Shogun’s rule without going into a lot of historical footnotes because we understand those Western contexts and who those leaders were. And Bob Dylan, yes, the 1960s folk singer, is a hint in the direction of some of the radical social ideas in the story. It would probably be a Bernie quote if I were writing it this year instead of a year ago.

  Just as the writing of this story transposes my personal experience living in Japan to Japan of the 1850s, themes in the story hinted at by some of the quotes dwell on issues we are confronting anew today, in the West, in the 21st century. Maybe think of the chapter quotes as poetic footnotes, not quite spelling things out but hinting at ideas and analogies to help the Western reader unfamiliar with Japan understand the stakes and situation.

  What’s next for the Sakura Steam series?

  The next book will be out in early 2017, jumping forward a few years from where we left off with Toru, Jiro, Takamori and Masuyo. I’m grappling with how much change is possible—does this one big shift we saw in Toru: Wayfarer Returns dramatically change history? Or does history have a weight, a center of gravity, that prevents it from being shoved too far off the path we lived through in our real history? I’m not sure, but I do know Toru and the gang have some strong ideas about what they want to do.

  How has the whole publishing experience been? Why your own imprint, Palantir Press?

  I come out of a technology and business background, so I was intensely curious about this self-publishing revolution and wanted to try it out for myself. I love the idea that anyone can publish anything. The tricky bit is standing out in the sea of self-published books that would have been killed in the olden days by the publishing industry’s threshold guardians. The glorious thing is that an out-there, oddball, unique story like Toru can exist under the sun and not be strangled in the cradle because it doesn’t appeal to a big enough market.

  How do you go about the marketing aspect and especially related to your online presence? Anything you’ve seen work better than other things?

  I’m learning as I go, experimenting and trying things. I’m so grateful to sites like yours that give space and attention to indie authors. I have a flock of book ideas flapping around in my brain that I cannot wait to write, from science fiction space opera to historical fiction to a crazy shapeshifter fantasy (the real story of Toru’s mother…), so I’m using Toru: Wayfarer Returns as my experiment to see what works on the marketing end and what is a waste of energy. The received wisdom is that it takes a few books to get the marketing machinery up and running, so I’m plugging along, gathering as many reviews and making as many friends out there in the book world as I can!

  I am beer machineTotally off topic, but one of my favourite things about Japan is the abundance of vending machines. So what is your favourite type of vending machine?

  You can buy anything that fits in a vending machine from a Japanese vending machine. And I do mean anything, including things I’m not going to discuss in public on the interwebs. For favorite, I’ll go with the one that dispensed lovely fresh flower bouquets near my home. And of course, the basic beer vendor!

  You are also working on a new historical novel set in 1510s Mexico. Anything you can reveal to us?

  It’s the true story of the native chieftain’s daughter who helped Cortes bring down the Aztec empire. It’s been done by every Latin American playwright and author and a few Americans too, but I have my own take on the characters, who they were and what they wanted. I guess I am fascinated by First Contact stories. It’s more tragic, dark and bloody than the optimistic tale I told in Toru Wayfarer Returns.

  Thank you very much for your time.

  Thank you for your thoughtful questions and attention!

• Stephanie R. Sorensen Home Page - https://stephaniersorensen.com/about/

  ABOUT
  with stravinskysquaresmall
  Stephanie is a writer based in the Victorian mining town of Leadville, Colorado, where she lives at 10,251 feet with her husband, five chickens, two bantam English game hens and one Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. After a former life in big cities–New York City, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Boston, Mexico City, Atlanta, Los Angeles and Santa Fe–she now enjoys the bustle and birdsong of Leadville, population 2,700 in town and 7,000 in the county, not counting dogs, burros and the occasional bear. She likes her Victorian attire spiced with a little neo-Victorian futurism and the biggest bustle possible.

  She published her debut novel Toru: Wayfarer Returns, the first installment in her Sakura Steam series, on February 16,2016 through her own imprint, Palantir Press. She is working on her second novel, a historical novel set in 1519 Mexico, and putting finishing touches on the second book in the Sakura Steam series.

Toru: Wayfarer Returns
Publishers Weekly. 263.25 (June 20, 2016): p139.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2016 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Listen
Full Text:
Toru: Wayfarer Returns

Stephanie R. Sorensen. Palantir, $16.95 trade paper (274p) ISBN 978-0-9969323-1-8

The start of the Sakura Steam series doesn't quite fire on all cylinders. Toru, the illegitimate son of a shogun-defying lord, risks death to return to 19th-century Japan after two years in America. He hopes to advance Japan into a futuristic age of steam to protect it from Western empires. After introducing a cool premise, debut novelist Sorensen struggles to make it believable. Toru gains allies as the plot requires, right down to the shogun's top advisor. No supplies are unavailable for his projects. Death sentences are meaningless, because Sorensen just won't hurt her main characters. The irony of ruining Japan's unique culture in order to keep it safe from cultural imperialism is barely touched on. It's a shame, because the historical period is meticulously researched and re-created, and the characters are varied and engaging, with Torus young friends Jiro and Masuyo driving his revolution. But when things rarely go wrong, there's just no real reason to keep reading. (BookLife)

Sorensen, Stephanie R.: Toru
Kirkus Reviews. (May 1, 2016):
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2016 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Listen
Full Text:
Sorensen, Stephanie R. TORU Palantir Press (Indie Fiction) $26.95 1, 13 ISBN: 978-0-9969323-0-1

Defying his shogun's ban on contact with the Western world, a young Japanese in 1852 uses smuggled blueprints and technology to create a hyperindustrial movement to thrust the nation forward into the modern age. First-time author Sorensen launches her Sakura Steam series with a well-told what-if story that brings a steampunk aesthetic to real-life 1800s Japan. T?ru Himasaki, illegitimate son of a noble lord, arrives on the shores of southeastern Japan in 1852, having completed the first phase of a dangerous mission for which he was raised. Masquerading as a fisherman, T?ru pretended to be lost at sea and allowed himself to be rescued by passing Americans and taken on a grand tour of their country. Now, with two years of careful notes, books, factory blueprints, gadgets, and intel, T?ru comes home--facing execution as a traitor for violating Japan's centuries-old policy of sokoku, or isolation, that has time-frozen the island nation into a feudal condition. Fortunately, T?ru manages to convince a few local lords of the desperate need to drive Japan forward into industrialization before the inevitable invasion by America and other foreign imperialists. In just a few seasons, Japanese facsimiles of guns, telegraphs, railways, early computers (Charles Babbage's "difference engine"), submarines, and airships are under feverish construction--but with as much secrecy as possible due to the iron rule of the myopic, dictatorial Tokugawa Shogun, who may view such progress as a threat to his own power. Sorenson cunningly blends far-out fiction with actual historical personages (many of whom may be unfamiliar to round-eyed barbarian readers) and a Meiji Restoration-era mindset. If there seem to be a few stereotypes reinforced here (math-crazed, sword-swinging Asians, as industrious as ants as they vastly overhaul their whole culture nearly overnight), the urgency and echoes of real-life drama can still resonate. It's no accident that the author name-checks Hiroshima and Nagasaki as historically vital port cities of old. Young adults as well as older readers can partake of the delicious genre-blending bento. Cool alternative-history yarn of yester-century Nippon, a promising steampunk-energized start.

Toru; Wayfarer Returns
Felicia Seeburger
Clarion Reviews. (Sept. 8, 2016):
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2016 ForeWord
https://www.forewordmagazine.net/clarion/reviews.aspx
Listen
Full Text:
Stephanie R. Sorensen; TORU; Palantir Press (Fiction: Historical) 16.95 ISBN: 9780996932318

Byline: Felicia Seeburger

TAru is an enjoyable and believable work of alternative historical fiction.

Stephanie Sorensen's TAru: Wayfarer Returns is a work of alternative historical fiction woven with tradition, adventure, and suspense. As finely wrought as a Japanese tatami mat, TAru engages and enchants, paving the way for reading satisfaction as the titular character with a mysterious past helps Japan to become a worthy adversary to foreign invasion.

In the mid-1800s, TAru has returned to Japan after two years in America, where he spent his time thinking only of when he would return to his homeland, studying and researching ways to build up his country. When he learns of plans to invade Japan and force open her trade borders, he is able to bring his knowledge -- of economics, engineering, and military strategy -- to bear. TAru is determined to lead Japan into a ready and offensive position, despite the shogun's policy of death to any returnee. The beautiful, high-born Masuyo, commoner and blacksmith Jiro, and lords Aya and TAmatsu are ready to help TAru implement his plans.

The story is action-filled and suspenseful throughout. TAru and his group work to arm Japan in time to oppose the coming invasion, and TAru's unique knowledge of the approaching enemy raises interesting questions. Subplots related to his paternity and what effect that has on his possible relationship with Masuyo, whose social position is above his, are also enthralling.

The transformation of a peaceful and pristine culture is disheartening yet inspiring as the country shifts from the low gear of a quiet existence and accelerates toward revolution. Centered around advanced technology, factories, deforestation, and the elevation of commoners to drive the engine of progress, it's an all-or-nothing moment for Japan.

The story moves at an intense pace, covering planning, building, and the arming of Japan against the coming foreign invasion. Dirigibles, trains, and telegraphs lead Japan irreversibly forward. Characters are adeptly sketched; TAru himself, already unique in wisdom and leadership, is shown to have a complex background as the child of a single mother in a fishing village. Japanese terminology and incorporated understandings of the country's social hierarchy and tradition increase the novel's authenticity. Characters are distinct in their thoughts and actions, and inner motivations are intelligently revealed. All such elements generate genuine interest in the story's progression.

The story is resonant, in part because of its concise, effective, and absorbing prose. Details enrich the story, and seamless shifts between the action-heavy narration and smart dialogue make it a brisk and fascinating read. The action and tension steadily build, with the driving question being what will happen when invaders arrive. Well-drawn characters beckon to reveal their fates.

TAru is an enjoyable and believable work of alternative historical fiction. Its forward-thinking, admirable characters and tense situations make for fresh, vibrant, and pleasurable reading. The intrigue, suspense, and pivotal moment in time entice, and the glimpse behind the veil of a mysterious Eastern culture reveals relatable characters swept up in an irrepressible destiny.

"Toru: Wayfarer Returns." Publishers Weekly, 20 June 2016, p. 139. General OneFile, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?p=ITOF&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA456344746&it=r&asid=d9e735d1da5996417ac00f03f74a933f. Accessed 5 Mar. 2017. "Sorensen, Stephanie R.: Toru." Kirkus Reviews, 1 May 2016. General OneFile, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?p=ITOF&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA450832982&it=r&asid=da3a8d123febb5d581de1305f4d137a3. Accessed 5 Mar. 2017. Seeburger, Felicia. "Toru; Wayfarer Returns." Clarion Reviews, 8 Sept. 2016. General OneFile, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?p=ITOF&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA463203339&it=r&asid=b8c7c4582dd57be2976d7307a72ede1d. Accessed 5 Mar. 2017.

• Nerd Problems
  http://www.nerdprobs.com/books/book-review-toru-wayfarer-returns-sakura-steam-1-by-stephanie-r-sorensen/
  Word count: 921

  BOOK REVIEW: Toru: Wayfarer Returns (Sakura Steam #1) by Stephanie R. Sorensen
  Elizabeth Cole 2 weeks ago Blog, Book Reviews, Books Leave a comment

  Title: Piper Perish
  Author: Stephanie R. Sorensen
  Publication: February 16, 2016
  Publisher: Palantir Press
  Genre: Fantasy
  Pages: 276

  SYNOPSIS: (From Goodreads)

  Revolutionary young samurai take on the West in this alternate history steampunk techno-fantasy set in 1850’s samurai-era Japan.

  In Japan of 1852, the peace imposed by the Tokugawa Shoguns has lasted 250 years. Peace has turned to stagnation, however, as the commoners grow impoverished and their lords restless. Swords rust. Martial values decay. Foreign barbarians circle the island nation’s closed borders like vultures, growing ever more demanding.

  Toru, a shipwrecked young fisherman rescued by American traders and taken to America, defies the Shogun’s ban on returning to Japan, determined to save his homeland from foreign invasion. Can he rouse his countrymen in time? Or will the cruel Shogun carry out his vow to execute all who set foot in Japan after traveling abroad? Armed only with his will, a few books, dirigible plans and dangerous ideas, Toru must transform the Emperor’s realm before the Black Ships come.

  Toru: Wayfarer Returns is the first book in the Sakura Steam Series, an alternate history of the tumultuous period from the opening of Japan in 1853 to the Meiji Restoration in 1868. This volume covers the year prior to the American Commodore Perry’s arrival in Japan and follows the hero and his young allies as they lead Japan through a massively compressed industrial revolution, dramatically altering that pivotal moment in history.

  While Toru and his dirigibles are fictional, the story unfolds against the backdrop of the ‘real’ Japan of that period, with historical figures and their political environment woven into the tale, staying true to their motivations and agendas even as the alternate history warps their actions, history and a few laws of physics. Underpinning the adventure plot is a young man’s yearning for his father’s approval and an honorable place in his world.

  Readers who enjoy steampunk alternate histories more typically set in Victorian England or the American Wild West may enjoy this steampunk story made fresh by the Japanese samurai setting, as well as readers who enjoy historical fiction set in Japan.

  REVIEW:

  **A copy of this book was provided by the author via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.**

  Confession: I cannot wrap my head around Steampunk. I understand that it is blending of old and new. Generally with the Victorian Era. At least that is what I understood from the Wikipedia article I read. That is where my understanding of it ends. However, when I read the description of this book, a sci-fi/fantasy/steampunk novel, I had to read it. While not a Steampunk aficionado, I do like sci-fi/fantasy.

  This book takes place in Japan in 1852-1853. The story opens with Toru, the main character, being dropped ashore in his homeland by the Americans that he had spent the last two to three years with. He returned to care for his mother and to warn his country about the impending attack from other countries. With him he brought ideas. Ideas that are dangerous and against the law to have without explicit instruction from the Shogun. He gets captured by Lord Aya’s men soon after being dropped off on the beach. They discover the things that he is carrying, a sewing machine, books, and detailed plans on how to build trains and planes. He is also wearing blue jeans and has his hair cut short in the typical “American” cut. It is decided that he is a traitor and is going to be taken to Evo to be brought to justice. (IE: beheaded). Toru requests to be taken to his mothers’ village so he can say goodbye. Lord Aya agrees. Lord Aya’s daughter takes a keen interest in Toru. She secretly takes some of his books to read. She becomes, even more, intrigued the more she reads. While on the way to Evo, Toru begins to tell them his story. From being shipwrecked to being picked up by the Americans and spending time in their country. His visit to West Point and other cities in the country. This gets Lord Aya interested. He starts to believe Toru’s story of an impending attack. Can Toru convince the powerful leaders that he isn’t a traitor and help them prepare for what lays ahead?

  This book was not what I was expecting at all. I guess that I thought it would be more exciting. More adventurous. Instead, I was rewarded with some super slow reading. It didn’t get exciting until the last 38 minutes of the book. And I know the exact time because I looked at the time left on the bottom of my Kindle. It was almost overwhelming. There were a few twists I didn’t see coming and a few that I had suspected from the very beginning. The real saving grace was the “note from the author” at the end that stated that a few of the facts were true in the book and based off of historical events. With all this being said I will probably read the next books in the series just to find out how Toru’s story continues.

  Three stars!

• Sci-Fi Fan Letter
  http://scififanletter.blogspot.com/2016/11/book-review-toru-wayfarer-returns-by.html
  Word count: 1387

  Reviews of Science Fiction and Fantasy novels by Jessica Strider, a former bookseller and avid reader. You'll also find shout-outs to SFF books, news tidbits, historical tidbits and more.

  Jessica Strider
  Toronto, Ontario, Canada
  I worked at the World's Biggest Bookstore in Toronto for 10 years, until it closed in 2014. During my time there I planned themed endcaps and did author interview displays. From September 2010 until December 2012 I contributed book reviews and New Author Spotlight posts to SF Signal. From August 2013 to May 2014 I did a Recommended Reading with Professionals column there once or twice a month. I've got a BA in Medieval History from the University of Toronto. I'm an avid photographer and crafter, and started making my own greeting cards a few years ago.

  View my complete profile
  Book Review Requests
  I'm trying to reduce the number of physical books cluttering my bookshelves and floor, so I won't be accepting many new review books. I'm also being much harsher than usual when reading, giving books about 50 pages to wow me before I move on to the next one.

  For 2017 I won't be accepting many email requests, for the reasons stated in my resolutions blog post.

  If I finish the book I will review it. Positive reviews are posted around the web (Amazon.ca, Goodreads, and LibraryThing). Negative reviews are only posted to my blog.

  If you choose to query me, please include:
  1) plot synopsis
  2) website (if you have one)
  3) release date

  You can contact me at: jessica.strider@gmail.com
  Friend me on
  Jessica Strider's book recommendations, liked quotes, book clubs, book trivia, book lists (read shelf)
  Follow me on Twitter
  JStrider66
  Search This Blog

  Tuesday, 8 November 2016
  Book Review: Toru: Wayfarer Returns by Stephanie Sorensen
  Pros: interesting characters, good ending

  Cons: advances are made ridiculously fast, some continuity errors, gets boring at times

  After spending two years in America, Toru returns to Japan, defying the Shogun’s law of isolation and the death penalty his return will earn him. He knows American ships will come, forcing the country to open its borders on their terms, unless Japan can innovate and show its strength in time.

  Toru is a great protagonist, deeply in love with his homeland but also an admirer of the technology and people he met in America. He straddles a difficult line as a commoner advising a Lord, trying to foster quick changes in a society that honours tradition.

  I really liked Masuyo, Lord Aya’s feisty daughter. Her flaunting of custom on her father’s land was well contrasted by her embarrassment in front of other noble women, where she tried to fit society’s ideals. This accurately portrays the juxtapositions common in Japan today.

  There were a lot of supporting characters, ranging from peasantry to Lords, many of whom had well defined personalities. While she’s negatively portrayed, I thought Lady Tomatsu was well done, snobbish and overly proud of her family name while married to a less powerful Lord. I liked that she had impeccable taste in food and clothing. I also thought she showed astute political sense, given her circumstances, though she makes a decision towards the end of the book that could have used more clarification as it seemed to go against her earlier personality.

  The plot consists of Toru convincing people to build trains, telegraph machines, Babbage Difference Engines, airships, and more in order to face the American threat. While I can believe that some of what they accomplish is possible within a year, the sheer scope of their operations and how much they achieve - necessarily kept hidden from the Shogun and requiring parts to be ordered from overseas - is hard to believe. Masuyo, an admittedly intelligent and well-educated woman, somehow translates enough English (which she’s never seen before) and engineering data (for things she’s never heard of before) in less than a week to put together a list in one night of all thing parts the Japanese can manufacture themselves and others they’ll need to order so that they can start building trains, etc. right away. Despite the failure of engineers with more experience in France to build working airships, the Japanese manage to make one using dictionaries to translate the French and then improving on the designs, again, despite never having seen such schematics before or (I would guess) knowing the science behind them.

  I also wondered how the smaller Lords Toru influences have enough money to finance the large - and expensive - projects. Added to this is how they believed they could keep what they were doing hidden from the Shogun. Given the sheer number of people involved and the obvious damage to the land, it seems unreasonable to believe the Shogun wasn’t aware of things from a very early point.

  For anyone looking for steampunk elements, there are airships towards the end of the book, and mention of submersibles, but not much else.

  The inclusion of Japanese words and phrases for things helped keep the oriental flavour of the setting. In a few places the immediate translation felt awkward (as someone who knows a fair bit of Japanese), like ofuro bath (which basically mean the same thing). A handful of times the Japanese was left untranslated, which might trip up readers unfamiliar with the language. I personally had trouble figuring out the meaning behind the name of the first dirigible, which was commented on, but not translated (as far as I could determine).

  There were some long sentences with awkward phrasing that I had to reread a few times in order to understand properly. I also noticed some continuity errors with regards to timing. One section began by saying it was the next morning and a character was preparing for a meeting, despite the fact that the meeting was to be in 3 days. Other times characters suddenly travelled weeks worth of distance in a few days (two characters were said to be at their homes but managed to be at least a 4 week journey away from their homes the next day).

  While I founds parts of the story a bit tedious, it’s basically set-up for future books where the divergence from history becomes more stark. There’s an author note at the end of the book explaining how this book compares to history (while the tech advance is all added, the meeting with Commodore Perry at the end and the difficulties between the Shogun and his Lords was cribbed from history). Following books are meant to diverge more, showing Japan in a position of power as its borders open.

  While it’s not a perfect book, it was an interesting look at an interesting time (imagined as parts of it were) of Japanese history. The author’s familiarity with the language and customs (and gestures) shows through.

  ***SPOILERS***

  Lady Tomatsu’s decision to leave Edo during Masuyo’s rescue confused me. She’d repudiated her husband in an effort to retain her lands for their son. The author didn’t make it clear that this only worked so long as her husband returned for his execution. Since he decided not to return, she and their son would be execution in his stead. This confused me until I figured out that the situation had changed between when Lady Tomatsu urged Masuyo to repudiate her father, thinking their menfolk dead, and the time of Lady Tomatsu’s rescue.

  The travellers alluded to in my time error above are Lords Aya and Tomatsu, who are supposed to be prepping their lands for their upcoming execution, but turn up at Lord Date’s home the day after Toru and co escape from Edo. Another time error involved the date of the execution. It’s 3 weeks away, but somehow Commodore Perry spends a month or more in the South of Japan before the date arrives.
  Email ThisBlogThis!Share to TwitterShare to FacebookShare to Pinterest
  Posted by Jessica Strider at 10:19

• Historical Novel Society
  https://historicalnovelsociety.org/reviews/toru-wayfarer-returns-sakura-steam-series-book-1/
  Word count: 183

  Toru: Wayfarer Returns (Sakura Steam Series Book 1)

  By Stephanie R. Sorensen
  Find & buy on

  Toru: Wayfarer Returns is the first installment in Stephanie Sorensen’s “Sakura Steam” Series, a terrifically vivid historical novel set in an 1852 Japan re-imagined along Steampunk lines.

  In the novel’s world of the Tokugawa Shogunate, death is the penalty for any inhabitant of Japan who visits the world outside the kingdom. Toru, a fisherman who is shipwrecked and rescued by American traders, undergoes an embarrassing but highly enlightening first contact with Western society and science. Risking his own life, he returns to Japan armed with knowledge and plans that could revolutionize the kingdom in the decade before the opening of Japan to the rest of the world.

  Sorensen’s characters are memorably shaped, and her dialog is sharp and lively, but the real highlight of this novel is its superb world-building – considerably helped by the stunning cover.

  Anyone reading it will eagerly look forward to the next volume.

  Reviewed by
  Lisa Sheehan

• For Whom the Gear Turns
  https://forwhomthegearturns.com/2016/09/02/steampunk-book-review-toru-the-wayfarer-returns-by-stephanie-r-sorensen/
  Word count: 641

  Steampunk Book Review: Toru – The Wayfarer Returns by Stephanie R. Sorensen

  Pageflex Persona [document: PRS0000040_00003]

  Being a book reviewer is a strange way to choose which books to read. I rarely go to the bookstore anymore because people offer to send me copies of their books, so things like the look of the cover don’t mean as much to me now as they once did. I end up with a very interesting and eclectic collection of literature and I read books I might not otherwise pick up. That being said, the cover of Toru: Wayfarer Returns, not to mention the concept of an alternative history of the “opening” of Japan, enticed me right away when author Stephanie R. Sorensen contacted me about a review.

  As I mentioned in another recent post, the infusion of non-Western cultures and sensibilities into Steampunk is very big right now. I don’t mean to imply Sorensen penned her tale with any sort of trendy ulterior motivation, I just want to situate it in the ever-evolving Steampunk canon. Ever since I started my trek into discovering Victorian-era history in service of this blog, I have been fascinated by the interaction between the Western powers (primarily the British Empire and an adolescent United States) and Asian countries during the 1800’s. I’d been hoping for an author to tackle this subject, and Sorensen does it beautifully.

  I know not everyone is familiar with the real events surrounding the “opening” of Japan, so let me lay some history on you. In 1639, the Japanese government expelled almost all foreigners from their shores. They felt that their traditions were being threatened by the influx of Western goods, but primarily by the Catholic missionaries who were working hard to convert the Japanese people to Christianity. For over 200 years, the Japanese closely monitored any outside contact with foreigners and refused to engage in trade except for on a very limited basis with the Dutch. Though the goods coming into Europe and the US was only a trickle, it was enough to capture the attention of foreign powers, especially those who recognized the potential of the untapped Japanese market. In 1853, an American named Matthew Perry sailed a small naval unit to Japan with the dual purpose of carrying a letter of “peace” to the Japanese Emperor (who at this point was actually little more than a figurehead) and a show of US firepower.

  In real life, the threat was enough to open up the conversation, but in Sorensen’s book, the Japanese take a different path. Toru grew up in a fishing village, but he everyone knew he was special and destined for great things. He travels to the US at a time that anyone who left Japan was considered a traitor, but learns everything he can about our language, customs, and military power. When he returns, he knows that it is only a matter of time before Western powers muster their forces for an attack on his beloved homeland and he wants to make sure they are prepared. The majority of the story takes place in the year leading up the Perry’s visit, and centers on how the technological advances they need to defend their country also leads to social change.

  I loved this book and I definitely recommend it for anyone who is looking for Steampunk that pushes the boundaries of the genre. Airships and samurai swords collide in this thoughtful and compelling alternative history about a culture every bit as rich and nuanced as those usually featured in Steampunk literature, but far less familiar.

  Find Toru: Wayarer Returns (Sakura Steam Book 1) on Amazon
  Read more about the history of Japanese-American relations

  © Phoebe Darqueling/Alison Weaverdyck and ForWhomTheGearTurns, 2016, unless otherwise

• Foreword Reviews
  https://www.forewordreviews.com/reviews/toru/
  Word count: 614

  Book Reviews
  Toru
  Wayfarer Returns

  Reviewed by Felicia Seeburger
  September 8, 2016

  Tōru is an enjoyable and believable work of alternative historical fiction.

  Stephanie Sorensen’s Tōru: Wayfarer Returns is a work of alternative historical fiction woven with tradition, adventure, and suspense. As finely wrought as a Japanese tatami mat, Tōru engages and enchants, paving the way for reading satisfaction as the titular character with a mysterious past helps Japan to become a worthy adversary to foreign invasion.

  In the mid-1800s, Tōru has returned to Japan after two years in America, where he spent his time thinking only of when he would return to his homeland, studying and researching ways to build up his country. When he learns of plans to invade Japan and force open her trade borders, he is able to bring his knowledge—of economics, engineering, and military strategy—to bear. Tōru is determined to lead Japan into a ready and offensive position, despite the shogun’s policy of death to any returnee. The beautiful, high-born Masuyo, commoner and blacksmith Jiro, and lords Aya and Tōmatsu are ready to help Tōru implement his plans.

  The story is action-filled and suspenseful throughout. Tōru and his group work to arm Japan in time to oppose the coming invasion, and Tōru’s unique knowledge of the approaching enemy raises interesting questions. Subplots related to his paternity and what effect that has on his possible relationship with Masuyo, whose social position is above his, are also enthralling.

  The transformation of a peaceful and pristine culture is disheartening yet inspiring as the country shifts from the low gear of a quiet existence and accelerates toward revolution. Centered around advanced technology, factories, deforestation, and the elevation of commoners to drive the engine of progress, it’s an all-or-nothing moment for Japan.

  The story moves at an intense pace, covering planning, building, and the arming of Japan against the coming foreign invasion. Dirigibles, trains, and telegraphs lead Japan irreversibly forward. Characters are adeptly sketched; Tōru himself, already unique in wisdom and leadership, is shown to have a complex background as the child of a single mother in a fishing village. Japanese terminology and incorporated understandings of the country’s social hierarchy and tradition increase the novel’s authenticity. Characters are distinct in their thoughts and actions, and inner motivations are intelligently revealed. All such elements generate genuine interest in the story’s progression.

  The story is resonant, in part because of its concise, effective, and absorbing prose. Details enrich the story, and seamless shifts between the action-heavy narration and smart dialogue make it a brisk and fascinating read. The action and tension steadily build, with the driving question being what will happen when invaders arrive. Well-drawn characters beckon to reveal their fates.

  Tōru is an enjoyable and believable work of alternative historical fiction. Its forward-thinking, admirable characters and tense situations make for fresh, vibrant, and pleasurable reading. The intrigue, suspense, and pivotal moment in time entice, and the glimpse behind the veil of a mysterious Eastern culture reveals relatable characters swept up in an irrepressible destiny.

  Disclosure: This article is not an endorsement, but a review. The author of this book provided free copies of the book and paid a small fee to have their book reviewed by a professional reviewer. Foreword Reviews and Clarion Reviews make no guarantee that the author will receive a positive review. Foreword Magazine, Inc. is disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

• Bookworm1102
  https://bookworm1102.wordpress.com/2017/02/21/book-tour-and-giveaway-toru-wayfarer-returns-by-stephanie-r-sorensen/
  Word count: 752

  Posted on February 21, 2017
  Book Tour and Giveaway: Toru: Wayfarer Returns by Stephanie R. Sorensen

  tourbanner_toru

  mediakit_bookcover_toru

  Synopsis

  A nation encircled by enemies

  A noblewoman with everything to lose

  A fisherman with everything to prove and a nation to save.

  In Japan of 1852, the peace imposed by the Tokugawa Shoguns has lasted 250 years. Peace has turned to stagnation, however, as commoners grow impoverished and their lords restless. Swords rust. Martial values decay. Foreign barbarians circle the island nation’s closed borders like vultures.

  Tōru, a shipwrecked young fisherman rescued by traders and taken to America, defies the Shogun’s ban on returning to Japan, determined to save his homeland from foreign invasion. Can he rouse his countrymen in time? Or will the cruel Shogun carry out his vow to execute all who set foot in Japan after traveling abroad? Armed only with his will, a few books, dirigible plans and dangerous ideas, Tōru must transform the Emperor’s realm before the Black Ships come.

  About The Author

  mediakit_authorphoto_toru

  Stephanie is a writer based in the Victorian mining town of Leadville, Colorado, where she lives at 10,251 feet with her husband, five chickens, two bantam English game hens and one Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. After a former life in big cities-New York City, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Boston, Mexico City, Atlanta, Los Angeles and Santa Fe-she now enjoys the birdsong and quiet writing time she finds in Leadville. Her first novel draws on her experience living and working in Japan;

  her next historical novel is set in Mexico where she also lived for several years. As a Leadville local, she likes her Victorian attire spiced with a little neo-Victorian futurism and the biggest bustle possible.

  Recognition for “Toru: Wayfarer Returns”

  — Finalist, Fantasy category, 2016 Next Generation Indie Book Awards

  — Bronze Medal Award, Multicultural Fiction category, 2016 eLit Book Awards

  Author Links

  Author website – http://stephaniersorensen.com/

  Author Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100011148014463

  Publisher website – http://palantirpress.com/

  Publisher Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/people/Sassa-Margot/100010457895534

  Publisher Twitter – https://twitter.com/SassaMargot

  Sell sheet PDF – http://palantirpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Toru-Sell-Sheet.pdf

  Kirkus review – http://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/stephanie-r-sorensen/toru/

  Historical Novel Society review – https://historicalnovelsociety.org/reviews/toru-wayfarer-returns-sakura-steam-series-book-1/

  Barnes and Noble – http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/toru-stephanie-r-sorensen/1123110310?ean=9780996932318

  Giveaway – One person will win a $50 Amazon/BN gift card

  a Rafflecopter giveaway

  Book Excerpt

  “No, daughter. You are not coming with us.” The daimyō looked down at his daughter’s norimono palanquin.

  She signaled for her bearers to lift her up.

  They looked to her father for instruction.

  “No!” he bellowed, but his voice bore hints of the frustration of a man who knows he is beaten before the battle even begins.

  She signaled once again for her bearers to lift her up. Caught between their implacable mistress and her fierce father, the men looked miserable.

  “This is no journey for a woman. We will be gone a week. We have to travel through hostile territory. It is the mud season. There are bandits on the road. We have to move swiftly. Your mother would not approve.” Reasons poured out of the daimyō, endless reasons, all of them quite reasonable, at louder and louder volume.

  His daughter made no answer. She merely motioned for the third time for her bearers to lift her up.

  “Toranosuke! I command you, stay here!”

  At her nickname, the girl finally popped her head outside the norimono in a most unladylike manner. She beamed at her father in joyful triumph, confident now in her victory. “Hai! O-tō-sama! I will stay here! For one hour. To make you happy. And then I will follow you, dressed as a man, riding on a horse, wearing your old hakama. If I obey you and stay here for that hour, you will force me to face the mud and the bandits alone. Surely it is better for me to travel under your protection. You cannot make me stay here. And I will follow you, Father. You know I will.”

• Two Heartbeats
  https://twoheartbeats.org/2017/02/23/toru-wayfarer-returns-book-blast-and-review/
  Word count: 1338

  Toru: Wayfarer Returns Book Blast and Review
  23Feb 2017
  3 Comments

  mediakit_bookcover_toru

  Toru: Wayfarer Returns

  by Stephanie R. Sorensen

  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  GENRE: Historical Steampunk Fiction

  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  BLURB:

  A nation encircled by enemies

  A noblewoman with everything to lose

  A fisherman with everything to prove and a nation to save.

  In Japan of 1852, the peace imposed by the Tokugawa Shoguns has lasted 250 years. Peace has turned to stagnation, however, as commoners grow impoverished and their lords restless. Swords rust. Martial values decay. Foreign barbarians circle the island nation’s closed borders like vultures.

  Tōru, a shipwrecked young fisherman rescued by traders and taken to America, defies the Shogun’s ban on returning to Japan, determined to save his homeland from foreign invasion. Can he rouse his countrymen in time? Or will the cruel Shogun carry out his vow to execute all who set foot in Japan after traveling abroad? Armed only with his will, a few books, dirigible plans and dangerous ideas, Tōru must transform the Emperor’s realm before the Black Ships come.

  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  Excerpt:

  “Omae wa dare da? Who are you? Whose ship is that? Why are you here?”

  They forced Tōru to his knees.

  He bowed down to the sand and spoke in the rough unhewn Japanese of a fisherman.

  “Noble sirs, I am Tōru, of the village Iwamatsu, some days’ travel north of here. I was fishing with my father. A terrible storm destroyed our boat and cast us all into the sea. My father gave me a piece of wreckage to cling to as everything sank.”

  Tōru struggled a moment, the words and flow of his native language catching on his lips after more than two years without a soul to speak with in Japanese. The memory of the storm and his last memory of his father that night rose up before him.

  He steadied himself as the men listened intently, their swords never wavering from his throat, nor their gaze from his face.

  He chose his next words carefully.

  “That night was the last I saw my father. I was picked up by an American ship and taken to America.”

  He bowed down to the sand again, easing between the blades.

  “This night I am returning, to look after my mother. She has no other child to care for her, and no husband to feed her. The Americans brought me home, so I might do my duty by my mother and my people. I beg you, forgive me any crimes I may have committed by landing on your lord’s shore, and allow me please to return to my home.”

  As he looked up into their eyes, he saw they would permit no such thing.

  My Review:

  The book started out with an interesting concept. Toru claims to be a poor fisherman returning to his home. He is sentenced to death, but Lord Aya lets him stay alive to see his mother one last time. Along the way, we meet the spirited daughter, Masuyo. We also see that Toru is not exactly who he claims to be. Toru convinces Lord Aya that they need to prepare to be invaded by Britain and America. Lord Aya is convinced and they begin building trains and warships. This is where the book lagged for me. While very descriptive, I couldn’t get into this part where the action seemed to lag. Perhaps for someone who is interested in ancient Japan or Steampunk, this would not be the case, but it was for me. I found myself unable to finish the book. However, the writing was very good and descriptive. I would rank this book 4/5 stars because I believe it is a good book, just not one that piques my interest.

  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  AUTHOR Bio and Links:

  Stephanie is a writer based in the Victorian mining town of Leadville, Colorado, where she lives at 10,251 feet with her husband, five chickens, two bantam English game hens and one Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. After a former life in big cities-New York City, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Boston, Mexico City, Atlanta, Los Angeles and Santa Fe-she now enjoys the birdsong and quiet writing time she finds in Leadville. Her first novel draws on her experience living and working in Japan; her next historical novel is set in Mexico where she also lived for several years. As a Leadville local, she likes her Victorian attire spiced with a little neo-Victorian futurism and the biggest bustle possible.

  Recognition for “Toru: Wayfarer Returns”

  — Finalist, Fantasy category, 2016 Next Generation Indie Book Awards

  — Bronze Medal Award, Multicultural Fiction category, 2016 eLit Book Awards

  LINKS:

  Author website http://stephaniersorensen.com/

  Author Facebook https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100011148014463

  Publisher website http://palantirpress.com/

  Publisher Facebook https://www.facebook.com/people/Sassa-Margot/100010457895534

  Publisher Twitter https://twitter.com/SassaMargot

  Sell sheet PDF http://palantirpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Toru-Sell-Sheet.pdf

  Kirkus review https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/stephanie-r-sorensen/toru/

  Historical Novel Society review https://historicalnovelsociety.org/reviews/toru-wayfarer-returns-sakura-steam-series-book-1/

  http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/toru-stephanie-r-sorensen/1123110310?ean=9780996932318

  Blue Ink
  https://www.blueinkreview.com/book-reviews/toru-wayfarer-returns/

  Professional Reviews of Independently Published Books

  TŌRU: Wayfarer Returns
  Stephanie R. Sorensen
  Publisher: Palantir Press Pages: 257 Price: (paperback) $16.95 ISBN: 9780996932318 Reviewed: September, 2016 Author Website: Visit »

  This is the first installment of Stephanie R. Sorensen’s planned “Sakura Steam Series,” which brings readers fully into the conflict between an agrarian Japan that for 250 years sought to purify itself of foreign influences and the inevitable advances revolutionizing the Western world.

  In the beginning of the story, set in the mid-1800s, Tōru spends two years in America, learning everything he can about its 19th century industrial revolution in order to arm his agrarian and insular Japan against technologically advanced enemies gathering on the borders. Then, with a suitcase loaded with his notes and sketches, Tōru sneaks back into Japan, defying a death sentence imposed on anyone who leaves and returns. Readers follow Tōru as he, in a Johnny Appleseed fashion, attempts to spread this know-how around the country. Ingrained opposition to new ideas and technology nearly costs Tōru and his allies their lives as they race to head off the arrival of U.S. Commodore Matthew Perry and his plans to subjugate the country.

  Skillfully written and packed with details about everything from Japanese forests and battling warlords to dirigibles and sewing machines, Sorensen immerses readers in a compelling and provocative story that intimately describes the struggles of a nation and its people, who find themselves in the throes of cultural upheaval.

  The book is a mixture of several genres, including historical fiction, alternate history and steampunk. The latter is a form of Victorian-era science fiction in which steam-powered machinery rather than advanced technology rules. As a result of the steampunk elements, some readers might have difficulty suspending their disbelief about the lightning speed in which Tōru spreads industrial change throughout Japan. In just a year, vast networks of railroads and telegraph wires spring up everywhere, without an infrastructure of mines, mills and manufacturing to produce the rails, telegraph wire and other basics.

  Those not bothered by such details, however, will find an absorbing read. Steampunk fans, in particular, should enjoy the launch of this intriguing saga and look forward to the sequels.

  Also available in hardcover and ebook.

  Author's Current Residence
  Leadville, Colorado
  Author's Home Town
  Leadville, Colorado

• See Sadie Read
  http://sadieforsythe.com/wp/review-of-toru-wayfarer-returns-sakura-steam-1-by-stephanie-r-sorensen/
  Word count: 747

  Sadie Forsythe

  Review of Toru: Wayfarer Returns (Sakura Steam #1), by Stephanie R. Sorensen
  Leave a reply

  ToruI received a copy of Toru: Wayfarer Returns, by Stephanie R. Sorensen, from Netgalley.

  Description from Goodreads:
  Revolutionary young samurai with dirigibles take on Commodore Perry and his Black Ships in this alternate history steampunk technofantasy set in 1850s samurai-era Japan.

  In Japan of 1852, the peace imposed by the Tokugawa Shoguns has lasted 250 years. Peace has turned to stagnation, however, as the commoners grow impoverished and their lords restless. Swords rust. Martial values decay. Foreign barbarians circle the island nation’s closed borders like vultures, growing ever more demanding.

  Tōru, a shipwrecked young fisherman rescued by American traders and taken to America, defies the Shogun’s ban on returning to Japan, determined to save his homeland from foreign invasion. Can he rouse his countrymen in time? Or will the cruel Shogun carry out his vow to execute all who set foot in Japan after traveling abroad? Armed only with his will, a few books, dirigible plans and dangerous ideas, Tōru must transform the Emperor’s realm before the Black Ships come.

  Review: Slightly spoilerish
  I was totally let down by this one. Even when I tried to give it leeway as a YA book, I was disappointed. I honestly don’t know what all the rave reviews and awards are based on.

  That cover is awesome and I love both steampunk and stories of feudal Japan. Unfortunately, this book failed on both fronts. It’s not really steampunk, despite a couple dirigibles and it’s only Japanese in title.

  While it’s set in Japan and uses Japanese words and talks about Japanese society, all of the characters are essentially westernized. For example, Toru talks about being uncomfortable with the loud brash American women. However, the only prominent female character we’re given is…you guessed it, loud and brash. She troops around in men’s clothing, often found signing bawdy drinking songs with the blacksmith and fighting with a naginata. Hardly the paragon of demureness we’re told to expect. People talk outside their station, are more direct than should be, etc. We’re told about Japan, but not provided a Japanese story.

  Further, the books presents as if in praise Japanese culture, but the whole plot hinges on the westernization of the country and destruction of their age-old way of life. Everything from the environment, to the social hierarchy, to women’s place in society is challenged and discarded in exchange for a western style. They even chose western uniform styles for their military. This basically subtly shows the old to be it to be less ideal than what it is becoming, therefore the East is shown to pale in comparison to the West, which I believe goes against everything the book claims to be trying to do.

  Outside of the heavy ethnocentrism of it, the plot simply stretches believability and credulity too far. Toru spent two years as a castaway in America. Somehow without connections he was a guest of the rich and powerful, giving him access to military information, schools, businesses, apparently everything. Plus, he learned and perfected accentless English. Then he returned home and engineered a total industrial revolution in less than a year. Again, as a nobody with less than no connections; he was condemned to die. But he still convinced an entire nation to commit treason. And everyone just basically decides to go along with it, at the risk of death, all like, “Hmm, sure, sounds like fun. Here is access to all my money and resources, have at it.” Then, despite his lack of station and being one among many on a battlefield, he disobeys direct orders, acts on his own and of course saves the day with no repercussions. Apparently he’s the only intelligent, forward thinking person in all Japan. Gah, irritating.

  The writing suffers from classic show vs tell problems, its repetitive and predictable, the language is painfully anachronistic and the characters are flat. In the end, I had to force myself to finish it.

  Tweet about this on TwitterPin on PinterestShare on RedditShare on Google+Share on TumblrShare on Facebook
  This entry was posted in books/book review and tagged book review, steampunk on August 31, 2016 by Sadie.

Word Count