華竜の宮 上

by Sayuri Ueda

滅亡を前に、人類はどう生きるべきか？ベストSF2010第１位、日本SF大賞受賞新世代日本SFの金字塔、ついに電子書籍化。地殻変動で陸地がほぼ水没しても人類は武器を捨てなかった。さらなる絶望的な環境激変は、この星のすべての命に対して決断を迫る。

374 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 9, 2012

About the author

Born in Hyogo Prefecture, Sayuri Ueda (上田 早夕里, Ueda Sayuri) is one of the more innovative science fiction authors in Japan. She made her debut in 2003 with Kasei daku barado (Mars Dark Ballad), which won the 4th Komatsu Sakyo Prize. She has published a series of highly original, much discussed works, gaining avid fans not only in Japan but throughout Asia and the West. Karyu no miya (The Ocean Chronicles) won the Hayakawa Publishing “SF ga Yomitai!” Award for Best Japanese SF Novel in 2010, as well as the 32nd Japan SF Award and 10th Sense of Gender Award in 2011. She also writes actively in genres other than science fiction, and in 2018, her historical novel Hametsu no ō (The King of Ruin) was nominated for the 159th Naoki Prize.

Reviews

[Yoshinobu Yamakawa · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the 25 century, much of the land was submerged due to an upheaval caused by a hot plume. Humans survived by adapting to new environments. Seafarers, who live in the ocean, live on giant biological ships called fish boats, and landers, who are based on land, have built an advanced information society based on a small amount of land and cities. In this new world, the protagonist of the game is diplomat Aozumi Seiji, who continues to negotiate for coexistence while adjusting various interests.

The theme of the game is Aozumi's way of life, as people live separated by global changes, and he searches for coexistence through dialogue with people from different walks of life. While adhering to his beliefs, he is conflicted about having to respond flexibly to the circumstances around him. He confronts people from different walks of life, sometimes facing situations that undermine his beliefs. Nevertheless, he does not give up and continues to engage in dialogue and find common ground.

Another attraction of the game is its detailed worldview. The realistic depiction of the social structure and technology of Earth in the future of the 25 century, the state of maritime cities, and the life of people living on limited land gives us the sense that we are actually walking in this world. In particular, the depiction of the fish boats is overwhelming, and the enormity and biological texture of the fish boats are conveyed realistically.

The story also reflects the challenges facing modern society, including environmental issues and social conflicts. One of the main attractions of this work is that it makes us think about how humankind will navigate the future and how diverse the options are.

When I read this work, I felt both hope and anxiety about the future. How people will cooperate with each other as the global environment changes and lifestyles change drastically. Although Ueda's world is far from optimistic, it still gives us a sense of human strength.

As you can see, this is one of the most profound works in recent years, combining a rich theme with attractive characters and a detailed worldview. While portraying the problems facing society in the future, it also appeals to the importance of hope and coexistence, and contains the message we need in this day and age. We can't wait to see what the next chapter will bring to Aozumi and his friends.

[Yasuo Itoh · Rating 4 out of 5]

オーシャンクロニクル・シリーズの一冊。魚舟が生まれた経緯から、その先に訪れる人類の危機まで、滔々と語られる。上巻なので、下巻につなげる世界観の整理が物語の中心となる。魚舟や獣舟といった異形のファンタジーのように思えるが、エージェントロボットなどいかにもなSF的ガジェットも登場するし、小松左京さんの日本沈没を彷彿とさせるパニック小説の体もなす。短編の魚舟・獣舟とは印象が異なり、バラエティーに富んだ世界観を構築している。下巻に続く。