Read: Yukikaze

I chanced upon Yukikaze by Chohei Kambayashi when browsing the Haikasoru website after reading The Lord of the Sands of Time. It’s supposed to be a classic, Yukikaze, and most importantly has a cool cover art. I was sold.

Some decades ago an alien force invaded Earth through a portal over Antarctica. Earth fought the aliens back and secured a foothold on the other side.

Thirty years on the war against the JAM, as the aliens are called, is at a stalemate. The Faery Air Force (FAF) is technologically far more advanced than any military forces on Earth. However, it has never been able to maintain any clear advantage over the JAM.

Strangely, after all the years no one knows who the JAM really are and even how they look like. There’s speculation that the JAM are really machines, and when fighting the FAF they are really fighting against the machines of the FAF. Hence the question of whether humans are really necessary, at least in the war agains the JAM.

Yukikaze is the nickname given to the mount of Lt Rei Fukai, the main character. It is a highly advanced tactical reconnaissance fighter known as the Super Sylph. Yukikaze is the only thing that Rei cares for and trusts. However, as its AI matures, it becomes evident that the plane has a mind of its own.

Afi bought me Yukikaze as a birthday present. She asked me to pick a book. I couldn’t think of any in particular that I wanted, so picked Yukikaze which was the next in my wishlist. I also didn’t know that there is an anime made out of the novel. The clips I see of it looks awesome, particularly the flight sequences. I’ll definitely go look for it when I get home.

I’m now reading Neil Gaiman’s American Gods.