Terminal Boredom: Stories
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- Create Date：2021-06-07 09:16:14
- Update Date：2025-09-23
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- Author：Izumi Suzuki
- ISBN：1788739884
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Summary
The first English language publication of the work of Izumi Suzuki， a legend of Japanese science fiction and a countercultural icon。
In a future where men are contained in ghettoized isolation， women enjoy the fruits of a queer matriarchal utopia – until a boy escapes and a young woman’s perception of the world is violently interrupted。
The last family in a desolate city struggles to approximate 20th century life on Earth， lifting what notions they can from 1960s popular culture。 But beneath these badly learned behaviors lies an atavistic appetite for destruction。
Two new friends enjoy drinks on a holiday resort planet where all is not as it seems， and the air itself seems to carry a treacherously potent nostalgia。 Back on Earth， Emma’s not certain if her emotionally abusive， green-haired boyfriend is in fact an intergalactic alien spy， or if she’s been hitting the bottle and baggies too hard。
At turns nonchalantly hip and charmingly deranged， Suzuki's singular slant on speculative fiction would be echoed in countless later works， from Margaret Atwood and Harumi Murakami， to Black Mirror and Ex Machina。 In these darkly playful and punky stories， the fantastical elements are always earthed by the universal pettiness of strife between the sexes， and the gritty reality of life on the lower rungs， whatever planet that ladder might be on。
In a future where men are contained in ghettoized isolation， women enjoy the fruits of a queer matriarchal utopia – until a boy escapes and a young woman’s perception of the world is violently interrupted。
The last family in a desolate city struggles to approximate 20th century life on Earth， lifting what notions they can from 1960s popular culture。 But beneath these badly learned behaviors lies an atavistic appetite for destruction。
Two new friends enjoy drinks on a holiday resort planet where all is not as it seems， and the air itself seems to carry a treacherously potent nostalgia。 Back on Earth， Emma’s not certain if her emotionally abusive， green-haired boyfriend is in fact an intergalactic alien spy， or if she’s been hitting the bottle and baggies too hard。
At turns nonchalantly hip and charmingly deranged， Suzuki's singular slant on speculative fiction would be echoed in countless later works， from Margaret Atwood and Harumi Murakami， to Black Mirror and Ex Machina。 In these darkly playful and punky stories， the fantastical elements are always earthed by the universal pettiness of strife between the sexes， and the gritty reality of life on the lower rungs， whatever planet that ladder might be on。
Reviews
Goatboy
，
The best parts of this collection for me were that each story seemed to have at least one really creative inventive idea to explore （although never explicitly which is part of what is great here） and the writing style always managed to put me in a differently defined state of mind （often the mood of the narrator but also of the "world" inhabited）。 Bravo to Verso for making these stories available！ The best parts of this collection for me were that each story seemed to have at least one really creative inventive idea to explore （although never explicitly which is part of what is great here） and the writing style always managed to put me in a differently defined state of mind （often the mood of the narrator but also of the "world" inhabited）。 Bravo to Verso for making these stories available！ 。。。more
Zach Werbalowsky
，
Odd stories written in a very original way。 Not a hard read but the writing is。。。 abrasive？ It does what it wants。
Teenu Vijayan
，
3。5
Arthur
，
An interesting collection of scifi stories about people who， in one way or another， don't know who they are。 While a few plot elements here or there read as a little dated， the overall themes of alienation present throughout the collection are if anything more relevant now。 An interesting collection of scifi stories about people who， in one way or another， don't know who they are。 While a few plot elements here or there read as a little dated， the overall themes of alienation present throughout the collection are if anything more relevant now。 。。。more
Iris
，
60%
Eric Vautier
，
Pure dystopia and how it affects individuals。 A fantastic read。
Balint Horvath
，
Japán melankólia sci-fi környezetben。 Elég unalmas， de azért túl lehet élni。 A novellák főszereplőinek többsége is sikerrel teljesíti az utóbbi feladatot， de kétes értékű létezés ez， vergődés， a látszat fenntartása; néha ugyan megcsillan a remény， egy emberi kapcsolat lehetősége， de természetesen kudarcba fullad a próbálkozás， ezekben a társadalmakban nincs esély a vágyott boldogság elérésére， a drogok sem segítenek （illetve， legfeljebb csak annyiban， hogy egy darabig még lehet húzni， hátha egys Japán melankólia sci-fi környezetben。 Elég unalmas， de azért túl lehet élni。 A novellák főszereplőinek többsége is sikerrel teljesíti az utóbbi feladatot， de kétes értékű létezés ez， vergődés， a látszat fenntartása; néha ugyan megcsillan a remény， egy emberi kapcsolat lehetősége， de természetesen kudarcba fullad a próbálkozás， ezekben a társadalmakban nincs esély a vágyott boldogság elérésére， a drogok sem segítenek （illetve， legfeljebb csak annyiban， hogy egy darabig még lehet húzni， hátha egyszer lesz valami）。Az olvasót azért valószínűleg nem fogja a mélybe taszítani a könyv， annyira nem hatásosak a szövegek。 （Meg ugye ez sci-fi， nem a valóság。 Ugye？） 。。。more
Paul Ataua
，
This was such a strange read。 I really liked most of the stories as I was reading them， but was either left cold at the end or had completely forgotten them the following day。 I'm getting on in years so maybe that is one reason。 It was like a wine that tastes OK as you drink it but has no finish。 I gave it three stars because I thought the stories weren’t as dated as some have suggested and the writing style was just so interesting。 Give it a try！ This was such a strange read。 I really liked most of the stories as I was reading them， but was either left cold at the end or had completely forgotten them the following day。 I'm getting on in years so maybe that is one reason。 It was like a wine that tastes OK as you drink it but has no finish。 I gave it three stars because I thought the stories weren’t as dated as some have suggested and the writing style was just so interesting。 Give it a try！ 。。。more
Zoe
，
Considering these stories were written in the 80s， it’s crazy how many things Izumi Suzuki had the foresight to see。 I love this minimalist form of sci-fi， where the world-building is revealed in dialogue and action， rather than through dense descriptions。 Her （still） contrarian views on ontology， gender， war， suicide are a much needed epistemic challenge in our drudge-filled world。
Ben
，
An interesting collection of sci-fi infused short stories， but in each case both the sci-fi and wider narrative felt more like outlines than fully realized concepts and characters。 Part of this is the time context: what will have been radical in the 80s now feels well-trodden， and the biggest flaw of this collection is the lack of introduction and context to the stories of an author who's life sounds absolutely fascinating。 That life， however， seems to be the biggest selling point of this collec An interesting collection of sci-fi infused short stories， but in each case both the sci-fi and wider narrative felt more like outlines than fully realized concepts and characters。 Part of this is the time context: what will have been radical in the 80s now feels well-trodden， and the biggest flaw of this collection is the lack of introduction and context to the stories of an author who's life sounds absolutely fascinating。 That life， however， seems to be the biggest selling point of this collection - as without the author's history and the writing's place in Japanese literature adequately explained to new readers， reading each story feels like being on the cusp of something great but never quite getting there。 。。。more
Rocco Frontuto
，
I decided to pick up this novel after reading a brief preview of the collection on The Guardian。 I knew going in that they would skew on the bleak side。 I tend to like sci fi that plays heavy into the human aspect of such stories and these were quite a somber take on life。 By the time I got to the third story， I could get a sense for Izumi Suzuki's view of people/life that she held as those particular feelings were interwoven into the characters of each story。 Almost all of the characters promin I decided to pick up this novel after reading a brief preview of the collection on The Guardian。 I knew going in that they would skew on the bleak side。 I tend to like sci fi that plays heavy into the human aspect of such stories and these were quite a somber take on life。 By the time I got to the third story， I could get a sense for Izumi Suzuki's view of people/life that she held as those particular feelings were interwoven into the characters of each story。 Almost all of the characters prominently featured in the story had a particular unenchanted view of life。 。。。more
Matthew
，
Think Phillip K。 Dick， bit mair apathetic n Japanese。
Vel Veeter
，
A small collection of stories from the science fiction writer Izumi Suzuki。 It's important to note that these stories are selected from a decades long career。 This seems to be a first foray into a larger translation project of more of Suzuki's writing， especially her novels。 The stories are mostly subtle， intimate explorations of stories that are running through various science fiction tropes and ideas。 These are ideas that are usually fully established in the story before we begin， and we're se A small collection of stories from the science fiction writer Izumi Suzuki。 It's important to note that these stories are selected from a decades long career。 This seems to be a first foray into a larger translation project of more of Suzuki's writing， especially her novels。 The stories are mostly subtle， intimate explorations of stories that are running through various science fiction tropes and ideas。 These are ideas that are usually fully established in the story before we begin， and we're seeing an attempt at a meaningful life within these parameters。 I just read a small collection of Robert Heinlein's stories， and this felt similar to that， but more than anything else， the collection felt parallel to some contemporaneous writers to Suzuki， especially Anna Kavan or the filmmaker Chris Marker。 There's a more clear experimental feel to the stories than other more familiar work。 。。。more
Bruin Mccon
，
Terminal Boredom is a collection of short sci-fi novels that focuses on connection—between friends， family， and humans and extraterrestrials。 The stories are all super creepy and pack a deep emotional punch for a sci-fi book。 The author is apparently a legend and its easy to see why when reading this short collection。
Riar
，
A rather mixed bag， however， I can't stop imagining if some of the stories in here were adapted in a politically inclined， punkish， full of pop culture references， slower version of Crazy Thunder Road with Toshio Matsumoto-esque semi documentary-type aesthetic film produced by Art Theatre Guild。 Anyway， unfortunately， apart from Women and Women （which is really great！） I don't find most of Suzuki's stories here work for me。 I like the literal 'boredom' as a concept， aesthetic and cultural entang A rather mixed bag， however， I can't stop imagining if some of the stories in here were adapted in a politically inclined， punkish， full of pop culture references， slower version of Crazy Thunder Road with Toshio Matsumoto-esque semi documentary-type aesthetic film produced by Art Theatre Guild。 Anyway， unfortunately， apart from Women and Women （which is really great！） I don't find most of Suzuki's stories here work for me。 I like the literal 'boredom' as a concept， aesthetic and cultural entanglement to the political situation in Japan late 60s to early 80s though， which I think represents really well in her writing。 Anyway， this makes me hate Kaoru Abe even more。 。。。more
Brad
，
Pretty uneven collection。 I’d say the first and the last two stories are the best。
Kathy
，
Firmly rooted in themes of alienation （sometimes literally I guess） and disattachment。 "Forgotten" is my favorite story by far， and maybe the rest feel too prescient， you wonder afterwards whether it was a Black Mirror episode you've already seen。 That's not a statement on the work itself as much as how the reading of it is endlessly transformed by the present day reader's projection onto it--a few reviews I skimmed find Suzuki's gender politics "ambivalent" to "forward-thinking" to being "a pro Firmly rooted in themes of alienation （sometimes literally I guess） and disattachment。 "Forgotten" is my favorite story by far， and maybe the rest feel too prescient， you wonder afterwards whether it was a Black Mirror episode you've already seen。 That's not a statement on the work itself as much as how the reading of it is endlessly transformed by the present day reader's projection onto it--a few reviews I skimmed find Suzuki's gender politics "ambivalent" to "forward-thinking" to being "a product of their era。" Certainly it's probably all of these， but it's interesting to grapple with these contradictions （both from a literary crit perspective and a marketing one 。。。）。 。。。more
Tyler K
，
These stories are short， somber， and weird， and I can’t get them out of my head。
Yahaira
，
Very hit or miss， maybe I'm not a short story person？ Some were interesting concepts like Women and Women or You May Dream， but they just kinda ended。 A lot of the other stories fell flat to me。 Definitely an instance where the story of the author is more interesting than the stories in the book。 Very hit or miss， maybe I'm not a short story person？ Some were interesting concepts like Women and Women or You May Dream， but they just kinda ended。 A lot of the other stories fell flat to me。 Definitely an instance where the story of the author is more interesting than the stories in the book。 。。。more
Sita
，
3。5
Kora Schultz-Dzbinski
，
maybe just skip the first story but the rest are 🔥。 multiple content warnings for suicide/suicidal ideation （pretty sure at least once in every story）， which i wish i would have known， but worth it。
Richard Federline
，
Dystopian novels are interesting but this one went a little too far。
Adam Meek
，
Suzuki explores fake realities and unhappy people trapped in unpleasant situations。
Jaidee
，
1。71 "that title was blatant foreshadowing" stars ！！！！ Thank you to Netgalley， Verso books， the author and the translators for an ecopy。 This selection of stories was released in English in April 2021。 Ms。 Suzuki was an actress， model and writer who took her own life in 1986。 This is a book where I can abstractly understand people awarding it four or five stars。 I can see sci fi literati， feminist scholars and completists analyzing and gobbling this up。 I would classify this as psychological sci 1。71 "that title was blatant foreshadowing" stars ！！！！ Thank you to Netgalley， Verso books， the author and the translators for an ecopy。 This selection of stories was released in English in April 2021。 Ms。 Suzuki was an actress， model and writer who took her own life in 1986。 This is a book where I can abstractly understand people awarding it four or five stars。 I can see sci fi literati， feminist scholars and completists analyzing and gobbling this up。 I would classify this as psychological sci-fi and I was able to appreciate some of it。 There were 7 stories in this collection and two of them were a very good 3。5 stars。 The rest were 2 stars or below for me。 Overall， I found this repetitive and tiresome despite some very original ideas。I will list the story， my rating and a word or two。 Women and women （3。5 stars） A very thought provoking tale taking place in a lesbian utopia （or dystopia）。。。this easily could have been expanded into novella form。。。。the writing was adequate but not exceptional You may dream （half a star） I don't think I have ever been more irritated by a short story。。。I know many people will find this brilliant but I experienced the story as contrived， repetitive and incongruous Night Picnic （1。5 stars） so bloody tedious。。。。were they humans or aliens。。。in the end I could not have cared less That Old Seaside Club （3。5 stars） a new psychiatric treatment for anomie and addiction。。。。inconsistent lazy writing but fascinating nonetheless ！！ Smoke gets in your eyes （2 stars） an interplanetary soap opera 。。。。long winded and dull Terminal Boredom （1 star） the title says it all ！！ Overall not a great experience but I really liked two of the stories （but not so much the prose） 。。。more
laurent
，
3。5★
David Davy
，
Strange to the point of being almost impenetrable。 I often felt like I wasn't catching the subtext or even the point of a given story。 I don't consider this a bad thing。 Strange to the point of being almost impenetrable。 I often felt like I wasn't catching the subtext or even the point of a given story。 I don't consider this a bad thing。 。。。more
Kumari de Silva
，
Some of the stories in this book intrigued me but others left me a little confused， not the author's fault necessarily - it might have been the translator。 There is a lot of disembodied speech where it is hard to tell who is speaking。 I think in the original Japanese there are more cues that would reveal who is speaking。 I also wish the translators had given me more context for the stories， like the date published。 At first I thought the stories would be loosely connected ala "The Martian Chroni Some of the stories in this book intrigued me but others left me a little confused， not the author's fault necessarily - it might have been the translator。 There is a lot of disembodied speech where it is hard to tell who is speaking。 I think in the original Japanese there are more cues that would reveal who is speaking。 I also wish the translators had given me more context for the stories， like the date published。 At first I thought the stories would be loosely connected ala "The Martian Chronicles" but they are not。 They're just a collection of stories。 I was also curious about the author - the book doesn't give any kind of intro about her。 It's just the stories， standing for themselves and some of them， don't get me wrong， are total tens， excellent stories。 If you are looking for sci-fi written by women， give this a try 。。。more
Christopher
，
Her characters and narrators are so emotive and powerful; even when a story might be lacking， I was mesmerized by how strongly I understood the characters through their voices。 Gorgeous translation work too。
Adam Ferris
，
These stories seem really simple at first glance and then upon further reading， there are many underlying themes at play in Suzuki's readings。 These stories though written years ago sound very modern and her speculative fiction is filled with strong characters and ideas about life。 Rather than rush through it， I let each story simmer。 When I did that it gave each story the time to grow and become even more enjoyable upon reflection。 It's difficult to say why I enjoyed this read so much。 I can sa These stories seem really simple at first glance and then upon further reading， there are many underlying themes at play in Suzuki's readings。 These stories though written years ago sound very modern and her speculative fiction is filled with strong characters and ideas about life。 Rather than rush through it， I let each story simmer。 When I did that it gave each story the time to grow and become even more enjoyable upon reflection。 It's difficult to say why I enjoyed this read so much。 I can say that as I continued on in this book I enjoyed it more and more and by the end of the last and best short story of this collection left me craving more from Suzuki。 Which apparently will be translated and released next year。 。。。more
MR A J GILES
，