'Shambling Towards Hiroshima' by James Morrow is a humorous and engaging take on an alternate military strategy for ending World War II, where the monster movie machine of Hollywood meets the war machine of the Pentagon. The story is told in a Sam Spade style narrative by screenwriter and rubber monster suit actor Syms Thorley, who writes a lengthy suicide note lamenting his involvement in a failed attempt to use giant monsters as a military weapon to end the war. The book blends real film history with fictional elements from an alternate universe, creating a playful Hollywood satire set against the backdrop of WWII.
The book is a fun and light read that explores themes of war, entertainment, and propaganda in a unique and imaginative way. Morrow's writing style is described as witty, humorous, and fast-paced, with smart dialogue that keeps the readers engaged. The narrative is both hilarious and thought-provoking, offering a sly commentary on war and monster movies while blending elements of alternate history and showbiz stories.
From The Publisher:
Theodore Sturgeon Award winner
Nebula and Hugo Award nominee
It is the early summer of 1945, and war reigns in the Pacific Rim with no end in sight. Back in the States, Hollywood B-movie star Syms Thorley lives in a very different world, starring as the Frankenstein-like Corpuscula and Kha-Ton-Ra, the living mummy. But the U.S. Navy has a new role waiting for Thorley, the role of a lifetime that he could never have imagined.
The top secret Knickerbocker Project is putting the finishing touches on the ultimate biological weapon: a breed of gigantic, fire-breathing, mutant iguanas engineered to stomp and burn cities on the Japanese mainland. The Navy calls upon Thorley to don a rubber suit and become the merciless Gorgantis and to star in a live drama that simulates the destruction of a miniature Japanese metropolis. If the demonstration succeeds, the Japanese will surrender, and many thousands of lives will be spared; if it fails, the horrible mutant lizards will be unleashed. One thing is certain: Syms Thorley must now give the most terrifyingly convincing performance of his life.
In the dual traditions of Godzilla as a playful monster and a symbol of the dawn of the nuclear era, Shambling Towards Hiroshima unexpectedly blends the destruction of World War II with the halcyon pleasure of monster movies.
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