Customer Reviews

Gojiro: A Novel

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

This book has touched me as few others have. It really is an awesome and engrossing novel, unusual and eccentric as it may be.

I'm aware it's not for everyone, as I can see by the other reviews posted here. And, to tell the truth, it's not really a genre sf novel, so people looking for long-winded physiological descriptions of Godzilla, leave now.

Frankly, this is NOT a Godzilla book. It is NOT an action-packed thriller or a pretentious hard sf novel filled with technobabble. This is a deeply philosophical work that uses the image of Godzilla, a mistake of human technology becoming the defender of humanity, as a symbol of evolution; mutation becoming adaptation becoming progress. The author freely edits scientific and historical details for the purposes of the story, which is more like an epic poem or painting than a straight narrative; characters, while on one level being very real people, also serve as symbolic archetypes, and the many seemingly-impossible events, while reinforcing the otherworldly atmosphere of the story, also all have a point behind them, once you look. (For example, the creation and growth of Radioactive Island through seemingly haphazard chance serves as a strong metaphor for evolution throughout the story.) The premise, a Godzilla-like creature developing a sort of religious cult philosophy that becomes inadvertently broadcast in a series of movies, seems silly at first, but the thing is, it works. More than that, it works so well that it strongly colored my perceptions of the real-life Godzilla; I'd been aware that he was a symbol of the Nuclear Age before, but this really brought it home to me.

The contrived slang, the "hip" lingo, the monster's cynicism... While some might be turned off by it, it worked for me. If you can start to accept the novel on its own terms, try to understand the beautiful alternate world and belief system it depicts rather than judging it, then before long the internal logic of Gojiro becomes clear, and concepts and events that initially seem silly become poignant and touching. The novel purposely uses unfamiliar, strange-sounding language to get us to see difficult issues in a new light, and get us to think from the monster's perspective. Somehow it all works, it all comes together, and it does make its own mutant kind of sense. Which is really what the novel is about, at heart, evolution and change, misfits from the old order becoming the seed of the new one, mutants making their own mutant kind of sense, and prospering.

The novel's ultimate message was uplifting and optimistic while at the same time remaining realistic and consistent with the cynical points it made earlier; it seems corny and weird, but, in the end, I believed it. It brought the whole novel together masterfully, and the touching epilogue left tears in my eyes. This novel made a huge impression on me, and I'd recommend it to anyone willing to keep an open mind and experience serious ideas from a different point of view.

The thing about this fairy tale is that it creates a more beautiful world view than any religion I've studied. The sublime theme of the book is that belief systems, whether they be religious, philosophical, or societal, are all subject to perversion, destruction, and absorbtion from conflicting systems of thought. 'Gojiro' presents a charmingly ridiculous and heart warming system of thought which tries it's best to account for all the craziness of the modern era. It's is tempting to make 'Gojiro' a bible, a centerpiece for a new religion, but 'Gojiro' warns against this sort of reverence, to quote a passage; "...it's a heck of a space saver, having only one book on the shelf. But which Book?" How could any illuminated person not dig this crazy levia-thang, man. Gojiro be the monster that blows metaphysics like Miles Davis blows the bugle, it's jazz for seekers who don't give a damn about finding an answer.

What a great book this could have been!

The idea that Gojiro not only actually exists, but is also a deep and cynical thinker at the center of a quasi-religious cult is very creative. Unfortunately, there are two problems that prevent it from being the book it could have been.

The first problem is the story: there isn't one. Nothing really happens in this book. In its 300 plus pages there is so little action and character growth that it's easy to find yourself dozing off if you read it at night.

The second and biggest problem is the over-pretentious, forced writing style. Jacobson tries so hard to be hip and trendy that the story (what little there is of one) becomes difficult to follow and the book just becomes painful to read.

"Gojiro" has some great philosophical ideas regarding God and Man, and Nature and Science, but it lacked the cohesion to pull any of those ideas together. Instead we're left with a rambling story with no focus written in a heavy-handed, fake ultra-cool narrative. It's clear that the author had something to say. I just wish he would have said it in English.

It is a sad commentary that the mass market paperback of this book, had a cheesy sci-fi cover and marketed as a genre book. Gojiro is a mile a minute thrill ride looking into the soul of a post Hiroshima world. Oppenheimer vs. Godzilla for the fate of a planet. Effin' Brilliant.

Once again, the King of Monsters saves the world, this time by leaving Monster Island to face up to both Hollywood and the remaining scientists of the Manhattan project that birthed the Atomic Age. Fans of Godzilla movies or atomic history buffs may be dismayed at the liberties taken with the stories of personalities like Edward Teller, Robert Oppenheimer, and Godzilla himself, but I found this mishmash of Hollywood mayhem, post-nuclear age Cosmology, and Pynchonesque storytelling a great roller coaster ride. At times ridiculous and hilarious, at time moving. Who ever thought the big green lizard could be such a cynical philosopher?

An extremely imaginitive work. Nuclear testing creates another Godzilla. He and his young human friend seek out the meaning of life and the connection behind their similarly troubled lives. An akward read at times, but different than anything I've ever read. A real escape from reality written in an interesting style. Read it if you can find it!

This has to be one of the best books I've ever read! At first, I expected a lowbrow (but fun) novelization of a Godzilla movie, lots of pyros and military firepower and mindless city stomping, nothing too difficult to understand. But this books was a pleasant surprise. It was written in a great way (like LORD OF THE FLIES meets CALVIN AND HOBBES), the story was gripping, and you learn to love the characters. Although it was a little bizzare and taxed your brain to the max, it was well worth the effort. I've read and re-read this book over and over.

I don't know exactly what to say about this one. I really love a lot of Jacobson's articles and essays, he is a truly gifted writer. I thought the concept for this book was really cool, giving a totally new take on the famous giant lizard, but the book never got off the ground for me. I don't know, it was just impossible to get involved in the story. I actually didn't even finish this book, which is something I usually try to avoid. Oh well just a misfire though I guess some people like it.

I thought that while the fact the lizard talks funny is annoying, the jokes and description and characters all fit together perfectly. I was intrigued about all aspects of Gojiro and I was surprised how much soul he had. It's a shame Jacobson is not more prolific.

It is a satire about Godzilla. It is great. The whole story is told from Gojiro's point of view. He is a suicidal monitor lizard who lives on Radioactive Island with all of the Atoms. He is that way because he is one of a kind and he can't die. Komodo, his life-long human friend, goes with him on all of his adventures. This is an extremely serious book, with a lot of philosophy involved.