The Stars’ Fault by John Box

The Stars’ Fault is the brand new book by John Box, star of American MaleWhore in Tokyo: The Great White Host.

The Stars’ Fault is a 66 page novella (story) that follows the parallel short stories of Fen, a tenacious 10-year old fighting for his life against cancer, and Vulp, the captain of a space pioneer squadron, fighting for the survival of his species.

Alternating chapters introduce us to three youngsters, Harold, Andromeda, and Fen determined to kick cancer in the butt at a cancer ward in a children’s hospital. In a galaxy far far away, three other valiant intergalactic space pioneers are hurtling through space in the sleek Probe Cruiser LXVIII on an epic space odyssey to continue the existence of their species. The two-books-in-one and alternating chapters keep the story, humour and action at a lively pace.

The book is one part parody (The Fault in Our Stars), two parts mind screw, and three parts the best words. It will make you laugh, cry, and question the nature of the universe. The book breaks your heart by manipulating your emotions and your attachment to the main characters, Fen and Vulp, as well as the sidekicks, who play a prominent role in the story.

I was lucky to receive an advanced copy of the book prior to the launch from the author. I really enjoyed reading the book which is a fun, quick read that left me wanting more! I especially enjoyed the connection that the book has to Japan. John references Japanese culture such as the love story of Orihime & Hikoboshi, which is Tanabata (The Star Festival), as well as having Fen’s favourite author Rowen Boozewell based in Japan. Fen even hatches a plot to take advantage of a wish-granting charity group to try and travel to Japan to meet his hero.

The book just released on August 26 is currently FREE on Amazon from 1 pm (Japan Time) Saturday, August 27 to Tuesday, August 30. It will be $0.99 after that date; you can also pick up a copy of the paperback version on createspace.com for only $3.99. Do yourself a favour and make sure you give it a read.

Mountain Day ~ Yama no Hi

Mountain Day, or Yama no Hi (山の日) in Japanese is a National Holiday that is celebrated every August 11th. The holiday was created with the intention to give the hard-working Japanese a break from work while spending time in the mountains with family members and friends. Mountain Day will celebrate all things mountain-related in Japan, which is a nation whose culture is founded on nature-inspired Shintoism.

History of Yama no Hi 

Mountain Day is a new national holiday in Japan as from 2016, so does not have a lot of history behind it at this stage.

The national holiday was announced by the Japanese Diet in May 2014 and will start being celebrated as a national holiday every August 11, beginning in 2016. The new holiday was created with the intention to provide opportunities to the hard working Japanese to get familiar with mountains and appreciate the blessings from mountains, which dominate 70% of Japan’s land mass. Support of the holiday has come from legislator Seishiro Eto, as well as the Japanese Alpine Club who argued that Shinto beliefs in nature have shaped Japan’s culture and should be celebrated via its peaks and mountains.

The Japanese government planned Mountain Day as a way of fighting the harmful effects of overworking. It is hoped the day will give families an opportunity to bond as well as expose children to nature.

How is Yama no Hi Celebrated? 

Yama no Hi was established as a holiday to allow Japanese citizens time to enjoy nature and spend some more time with their family members and friends. It is a day to express gratitude and appreciate the many great peaks and mountains of Japan, which dominate its landscape and culture.

Mountain Day will celebrate all things mountain-related and has strong ties to nature and Shintoism, which is the ancient religion of Japan. Shinto is a religion that is based on nature and the world in which people live. According to Shinto beliefs, kami or Shinto gods, reside in nature in things like rivers, oceans, trees and mountains.

To celebrate Mountain Day, Japanese people are encouraged to visit rural mountainous areas across Japan with Mount Fuji a popular destination. The inaugural National Ceremony for Mountain Day will be held in the Japan Alps at Kamikochi in Nagano.

We are going to celebrate by heading to the Southern Japan Alps in Gifu and Nagano to take in some spectacular mountain scenery and food.

Festivals and Events for August in Japan

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