Named a Most Anticipated Book of 2021 by Thrillist, The Millions, Frieze, and Metropolis Japan The first English language publication of the work of Izumi Suzuki, a legend of Japanese science fiction and a countercultural icon 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. Translated by Polly Barton, Sam Bett, David Boyd, Daniel Joseph, Aiko Masubuchi, and Helen O'Horan. "Suzuki is a daring writer and these stories will show the English-language world what she is made of." —Jessica Esa, Metropolis Japan (5 Japanese Novels to Read in 2021) "Her punky irreverence remains radiant" — Frieze "If you’re into Kobo Abe and prefer Ryu Murakami to Haruki you’ll not (as the title of this inaugural translation of Suzuki into English suggests), be bored." — The Millions (Most Anticipated: The Great First-Half 2021 Book Preview) "Weird and wonderful, unique and unsettling ... You won’t put this one down." — Osusume Books "The stories chosen for this collection showcase an author whose interest in alienation and despair as well as playful literary exploration parallels the work of other '70s SF titans such as Joanna Russ or Thomas Disch. … Essential reading not only for those interested in Japanese SF, but for anyone interested in spiky, beautiful, and bleak literature." —Nell Keep, Booklist (Starred Review) "These strangely prescient stories are perfect for fans of Haruki Murakami, George Saunders, and Philip K. Dick." — Publishers Weekly "The latest inclusion in the modern canon of Japanese women authors' surreal feminist work, [Terminal Boredom] puts a distinctly sci-fi spin on the concept." — Thrillist (30 Books We Can't Wait to Read in 2021) "Surprisingly contemporary ... with pertinent musings on the mutability of gender and the elusive nature of identity." —Declan O'Driscoll, Irish Times "With the use of speculative elements, [Suzuki's] dark and playful stories highlight the realities of living on the lower rungs of society." —Patricia Thang, Book Riot "[Terminal Boredom plays] with tech, gender, and tradition in marvelous ways. Highly recommended." —Patrick Rapa, Philadelphia Inquirer "There’s nothing boring about the short stories in Terminal Boredom." — The A.V. Club (5 new books to read in April) "Terminal Boredom provides a historical capsule and an interesting mirror to the American science fiction of the [1970s]." —Silvia Moreno-Garcia, Washington Post "The seven stories here are not only still relevant but remarkably fresh … brilliant" —Lisa Tuttle, Guardian "Each of the worlds Suzuki creates is deep and complex, with many of the questions raised lingering long after the last page and making you crave more." —Iain Maloney, Japan Times "An engaging and highly-relevant collection of short stories that will resonate with many readers, especially fans of writers like Philip K. Dick, Kurt Vonnegut, and even George Orwell, but from a refreshingly female perspective." —Rachel Stanyon, Asymptote Journal "Full of punk, punch, and feminist shruggings ... a spiky, timeless, and timely collection of psychologically astute speculative fiction" — Lunate Fiction "Sure to be a treat for fans of Haruki Murakami, George Saunders, and the twisty genre experimentation of Black Mirror." — Chicago Review of Books (12 Must-Read Books for April) "The work and messages of Ursula K. Le Guin, the author’s longer-lived contemporary, come to mind." —Catherine Lacey, New York Times "A welcome glimpse inside the mind of a writer whose talent has been overlooked for far too long." — All the Anime "Suzuki’s stories are reminiscent of the unhinged science fiction dystopias of the master of the craft, Philip K. Dick ... [and] extend the canon of twentieth century science fiction." —Ian MacAllen, Chicago Review of Books "Suzuki’s work, now released in English for the first time, marks an exciting moment. Its themes feel of-the-moment despite being written over thirty years ago, and yet they are also surreal—the imagined artificialities of the 1980s written as futuristic now mirror our mundane, modern technology." —Makenna Goodman, Electric Literature "The themes of [Suzuki's] fiction thrum with a resistant, brightly grim tension. Passing decades certainly haven’t dulled the razor’s cut of her punk sensibilities." —Lee Mandelo, Tor "A vital addition to the science fiction canon in the anglophone world ... If there is any proof needed that the future has ended, it is that these stories can speak to us so directly across the four decades since their writing." —Calu