Keith’s choices: Thursday 5th October 2023
Theme: *Japanese Alien Human Being*
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| Just the three in person attendees |
After nearly 20 years of existence Hove Book Group broke new ground when only three of the seven brave men who constitute the group could attend the discussion. Fortunately all the absentees were able to pen reviews so participation was still a hundred percent
This time out all eyes turned to Keith and his selections. Sadly Keith was not actually there to gaze into the eyes feverishly seeking his presence. Instead we had this bulletin…
READ: Beautiful Star (1962) by Yukio Mishima
“Ah, Beautiful Star, and Japanese Alien Human Being.
Why this book? Why this theme? Well, it seemed like a good idea. 1, it was a theme. 2, book looked like it was worthy of the attention of this esteemed group.
And, indeed, I remain happy with the choice.
Scanning the cover notes to make my choice, the premise of the book seemed straightforward enough. And enticing enough.
It was slightly disorienting to have the alien reveal so easily on. I thought that would form the heart of the plot. But no. In fact, there are aliens all over the place.
And at first I was not so sure about the language. There is a mix of formality and grandiosity that made me question things. Was the translation up to scratch? It felt awkward at first. But it grew on me. A sense that it was, distinctively, a Japanese book, capturing I think a different world view.
Same too for the sense of place. Some fine evocation of a foreign land.
As for the story, well, I am a sucker for a book such as this, full of philosophical ambitions. So, he went a bit too far, leading us up to an intense, prolonged philosophy face-off between the would-be destroyers of the human race and fading Juichiro. But so be it.
There was an impossibility at the heart of it all, to somehow be and experience being human but at the same time be an alien observer of that experience. But maybe aliens can do that type of thing.
I think there is a lot there to ponder on. Stepping outside our human limitations, exploring what it means to be human. I think the book could be read and reread as a way to be immersed in that.
Ultimately it wasn’t quite as captivating as I would have hoped. But glad to have gone there.
And the bonus of a line that keeps me laughing still: Both her breasts were firm, like small animals forced into a corner.
I will make a stand. But I guess I am biased. A philosophically worthwhile breeze through Japan. 7/10”
Robin, again remotely, was less enthused…
“Here’s my concise summation of the book for tomorrow nights ‘close encounter’ 😂 Mars Attacks meets Invasion of the Bodysnatchers meets ‘The day the earth stood still’? Well probably not but this alien nonsense is from a similar era where the prospect of nuclear Armageddon loomed large and coupled with a frenzy of ufo sightings in the 40’s and 50’s. I’m not really sure what to make of this sometimes playful, whimsical but in the end pointless book. So a family suddenly realises that they’re not humans but are from a number of planets. (Why aren’t they from the same plant?). Why don’t they know they’re aliens? Why do they have to see ufo’s to realise - ultimately a fairly blunt instrument of a signal to get them started on their quest.
they’re on a mission to save the planet from nuclear destruction as well as being up against a bunch of other not so nice aliens.
I don’t know why but I wasn’t engaged by this book at all and this took a further turn for the worse when juichiro and haguro spend an ‘eternity’ debating whether the end of the world is inevitable. Regrettably I didn’t really care about what happened, sorry. I’m off to reread War of the Worlds - now that HG Wells bloke knew how to write about aliens! 3/10”
Tristan sent us this written review…
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| Tristan is a sucker for science fiction |
“First up a confession: I didn’t manage to finish it in time and am only 62.4% of the way through. Therefore my score should be treated as +/- 1.2 (95th percentile accuracy).
That said, here’s what I thought so far: a curious little number. Interesting premise, but so far at least it has failed to crystallise into anything truly interesting or meaningful. I like the conceit of the family and their different planets, and I like the concept of the cabal intent on destroying Earth, and I am intrigued as to where the Takemija character might be going, but it’s failed to blow my mind with its insights or originality so far.
But I’m a sucker for science fiction, and I would consider this book within the realm, so I do want to know how it’s going to play out, although I am braced for disappointment. It’s certainly not a patch on some other books that deal with “uniting earth against an alien menace, but in an odd way”, such as Kurt Vonnegut’s Sirens of Titan.
And I must say that I found a lot of it to be fairly hard going. I’m not sure if it’s the subtleties of the original text, or the difficulty of translation, but I for one found it hard to make sense of sentences such as: “From his youth, he had felt a deep penchant for the quietude of beauty, and he felt no disappointment in a beauty that never changed and offered no salvation.” And “His circuitous sympathy was in no way a compromise with the human understanding of reality”.
So anyhoo: interesting but a bit of a slog. 6/10 could try harder.”
Hamish’s review, again a written submission…
“Wow!
Wow!
Wow!
I was really looking forward to this being a novel with an interesting Japanese flavour and a mind blowing science fiction concept.
That classic remains to be written, because Mishima's book comes nowhere close.
Science fiction relies on some kind of convincing scientific theory, even if it is a little absurd. Here we are asked to believe that four of our utterly uninhabitable neighbouring planets are actually populated by more advanced beings than us. That those aliens can communicate with their home planets unknowingly and yet telepathically, despite having lived long lives on Earth whilst having no idea they were aliens. And those mysterious alien spacecraft who appear simply to smile and wave as proof of their existence. The concept is so poor that Mishima doesn't even attempt to explain it. He just expects us to suspend disbelief. I didn't.
Elsewhere, the book seeks to question whether humans have any right to exist. Given the damage we continue to cause, clearly Planet Earth would be better off without us. Being generous, perhaps that is Mishima's intended theme, rather than sci-fi, and, so soon after WWII, it would make sense. But again, it is neither subtle in how it addresses that or convincing. Instead, halfway through the book, Haguro, Sone and Kurita, the trio of bad aliens turn up. To mobilise barbers into ending humanity. As members of a society that aliens join simply because of a vaguely flying saucer shaped disc in a tiny newspaper advert no less. The characterisation overall was poor.
Credit where credit is due, whilst the story is dreadful, his (or the translator's) use of language is excellent at times. And the cover is pleasant enough. "As disconcerting as it is funny" though? Not for this reader. Hope some of you enjoyed it more. 3/10”
So what of the three amigos who actually made it to the meeting?
Nick found it a hard book to read and couldn’t get on with it. Despite the enthusiastic online reviews he was unimpressed and found the turgid discussion at the conclusion particularly vexing. 5/10
Roland describe it as laboured, a word that frequently popped into his head whilst reading this book. He slated the lack of character depth before dubbing it abysmal. 3/10
Nigel found it interesting that despite Yukio Mishima considering this book to be his masterpiece it was only translated into English in 2022.
It was not wholly successful despite generally enjoying Japanese fiction. It contains some memorable scenes, and the father, son, and daughter all have some interesting adventures. Equally some of the secondary characters have their moments too, not least Takemiya, the playboy Noh performer, the ambitious politician Kazuo, and the sinister Haguro.
Overall though Nigel concluded it was a strange, incoherent and occasionally tedious novel. He was unsure how seriously Yukio Mishima expects it to be taken.
As others have observed most of the final fifty pages are a dull debate on whether humanity is worth saving, which means it all fizzles out, despite a slight upturn when the novel finally concludes. 5/10
Nick 5 / Tristan 6 / Nigel 5 / Keith 7 / Roland 3 / Robin 3 / Hamish 3
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LISTEN: Japanese Alien Human Being Instrumentals by 4ce Finger + DJ Quietstorm
Keith stated he had suggested the instrumental, on the basis of our Japanese not being so hot. Well, the instrumental kind of washed over him…
“Hopefully you ignored me and went for the full vocal version. I am not saying it is outstanding - tracks seems to set up well enough but not really go anywhere. But it had something - vocals brought some attitude and attack, while the instrumental had a fusion of sounds delivering a good beat. Title track delivered on that nicely. So, for me, a sample of something different; well worth a listen - it’s what HBG is all about.”
Robin: “Presume the music is made by aliens 👽- cannot compute - think karen carpenter called it right with her ‘calling occupants of interplanetary craft’ 😆 “
Hamish: “Always weird to find streamed music that has barely had any plays, like this. Hardly screaming to be checked out with that title. It's a bit amateurish, but decent enough. The Japanese Aliens haven't changed my life, but I'm glad people sit in their bedrooms producing stuff like this.“
Tristan: “Oh come on now, Keith. A single song. And one that is basically a single riff that repeats over and over and over. What were you thinking?
Fortunately, I ignored your instructions and listened to the non-instrumental version too, which was a lot better in that at least it had some rapping over it. Albeit in an incomprehensible language.
3/10 (2/10 for the instrumental version)”
The rest of quite enjoyed it particularly the nice samples and overall an agreeable listen. Personal faves seemed to be Understand (Moondance sample) and opener Japanese Alien Human Being with the Can sample
Nick - / Tristan 3 / Nigel 6 / Keith - / Roland 6 / Robin - / Hamish 3
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WATCH: Before We Vanish (2017) dir by Kiyoshi Kurosawa
Keith: “Yet more aliens up to tricks. And like the book, I am all for some pondering on the human condition. The ‘what if?’ here was around sampling and stealing concepts in the runup to an invasion. What’s not to like? I think that side of it was too subtle in terms of making an engaging film. Why not wipe out the concept across all of humanity at a stroke and watch the mayhem unfold. Maybe that part worked better in the original play. Like the book, we find these aliens just can’t make their minds up. They disagree and their dilemmas and disagreements become a device to ask questions about us humans. So, the film was much like the book for me - I enjoyed the culture and geography shift, and I am all for some probing of the human condition.
A different approach and a bigger budget would have given a very different film. But that may not have been a good thing. So I am happy with this simpler production. But I can’t honestly say it held me as I would have hoped.”
Robin: “Didn’t make the film although watched the trailer. Invasion of the bodysnatchers meets a zombie flick ?”
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| Robin had better things to do |
Hamish: “Relax, didn't do it! Sorry, ran out of time.”
Tristan: “This had a proper B-movie feel to it, and I’d imagine that most people will hate it, but I liked it in a perverse way. I enjoyed the backdrop of everyday Japanese life mixed into the preposterous plot line, and enjoyed the mundanity of their existence being messed up by the aliens among them. I also really liked some of the ideas, such as the aliens coming clean about invading, and being pretty cheeky with it. And the inevitable moral dilemmas that we’d all have to face, such as whether to stay with our spouse now that they’d become an alien. And whether you’d prefer to live in a menagerie or die with all the rest of your species.
That said the “omg love is such an amazing concept that we’ll call it all off” was a corny and trite ending, so I’d deduct marks for that. But then I’d re-add them for a great intro sequence with the blood-covered girl smiling while a truck crashed behind her. Swings and roundabouts.
6/10 also.”
Roland was relieved when it was over despite liking the action at the end and the intriguing premise. Overall, and like the book, laboured. 5/10
Nick described it as really terrible. It did nothing for him and he fell asleep before the end.
Nigel described it as a schlocky b movie style homage to alien invasion films of yesteryear complete with hammy acting and curiously inappropriate soundtrack music. Interesting and bearable for the Japanese aspects but ultimately a pretty pointless exercise. 5/10
Nick - / Tristan 6 / Nigel 5 / Keith - / Roland 5 / Robin - / Hamish -
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HBG endorse it: 5 October 2023 -> 16 November 2023
Dance First (Film)
The Eddy (Netflix)
Reign Supreme (Netflix)
Phantom Threads (Amazon Prime Film)
American Prometheus by Kai Bird (Book)
Bad Sisters (Apple TV)
Acid Dream (BBC Sounds)
Framingham, Suffolk (Place)
San Francisco, California (Place)
Meet You On The Hippos (iPlayer)
This Mess We’re In by PJ Harvey (Song)
Life Changing (Undercover - 18 May 2022 (BBC Sounds))
The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar dir by Wes Anderson (Netflix)
