Mecha Samurai Empire

August 20, 2018
Tieryas expands on the universe introduced in United States of Japan, an alternate history in which Japan and Germany won WWII, in this terrific coming-of-age story. Makoto “Mac” Fujimoto, an ambitious war orphan, dreams of becoming a mecha combat robot pilot but lacks the social connections or grades to enter Berkeley Military Academy, where mecha pilots are trained. Mac is preparing to take exams that will determine his academic future when an incursion by a terrorist group, the National Revolutionaries of America, kills his best friend and alters the course of his life. Mac’s journey from dispossessed youth to heroic avenger is accompanied by a colorful cast, inhabiting a vibrant world that confronts the high cost of war without becoming mired in its darkness. The middle’s sluggish pacing, which threatens to grind events to a halt, is the book’s only flaw; otherwise, Tieryas perfectly balances humor, action, and romance. Agent: Judith Hansen, Hansen Literary.

August 1, 2018
Tieryas continues exploring the alternative history in which the Allies lost World War II, and Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan each control part of the former United States (first seen in United States of Japan, 2016). Makoto Mac Fujimoto wants a career as a mecha pilot for the imperial army but knows that his test scores are not good enough for the job. After a moment of bravery, Mac is recruited for a mission. The relationship between the two empires is tense?and the neutral zone is seen by some as the perfect location for the start of a conflict. As Mac pursues his dreams of heroism and greatness, he begins to question what he thought was right. Readers will find themselves caught up in Tieryas' thought-provoking world, which addresses big issues, like the educational system, and small, like popular foods, in a culture where the military is all-consuming. (Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2018, American Library Association.)