Set in the world of the original Dream of the Red Chamber, the masterwork of eighteenth-century Chinese fiction by Cao Xueqin, this murder mystery plays out Peking during the late Qing dynasty. The author is famed in Japan for not only his tight plotting and brilliant characterizations, but also his skill in adapting famous fictional locales and characters for new works. The tale opens with the visitation of Jia Yuan-chun, esteemed daughter of the prosperous Jia family and newly instated concubine to the emperor. In preparation for her arrival, the Jias have constructed a magnificent homage...

In a world of humans, whats a cyborg turtle to do?

Its a fair question in the bizarre, compelling story of Mr. Turtle. Yusaku Kitanos science fiction masterpiece, originally published under the eponymous title Kame-kun, renews the visionary integrity that won it the Nihon SF Taisho (Japans equivalent of the Nebula) Award in 2001 as it finds its way into English at last. Kitanos protagonist is a hero in a half shell of an altogether different sort, a killing machine designed for combat who wants only to enjoy the simple pleasures of his daily life-working a blue collar job, going to the...