Tatami Time Machine Blues by Tomihiko Morimi is a quirky little novella that offers a light-hearted adventure with a touch of science fiction. While the plot revolves around a group of friends using a time machine to fix a broken AC controller, it's the author's tone of voice that sets this book apart. The narrative style, though awkwardly structured at times, adds a quirkiness that suits the simultaneously clever yet somewhat clueless protagonist. I think that familiarity with the characters and settings may have been helpful for reading this book; however, the characters have their own charm and fit into familiar archetypes that make the book understandable even if you are reading out of order.

With its light science-fiction elements and brisk pace, Tatami Time Machine Blues is a delightful read for fans of low-stakes adventures and sci-fi elements. The narrative voice adds to the charm and strangeness of the story, making it an entertaining and imaginative experience. While it may not be deeply moving, it will leave you chuckling and scratching your head in equal measure.

So… I’m not entirely sure what to think of this book. The Tatami Time Machine Blues is a spiffy little novella that’s a fairly easy read. The plot centers around a group of friends who, in the middle of a hot summer, have stumbled upon a time machine and decided to use it to go back in time and steal the AC controller they had previously broke. There’s a smattering of romance, and a smattering of science fiction, but at it’s soul this is a slice of life comedic novella.

To begin with, the tone of voice is interesting, it’s structured a bit awkwardly, but I can’t entirely tell if that’s a quirk of the writer himself, or a side effect of a poor translation. However I’m inclined to think it’s a quirk of the writer, as Emily Balistrieri from my understanding is an incredibly talented translator.

The novella takes an almost self-indulgent tone of voice, like our POV character is aware that this is all ridiculous but is also trying to sound more self-important and clever than he actually is. Which, in all honesty, fits the character <i>incredibly well</i>.

To that same manner, the characters are charming. They lean more towards being more daguerreotypes of people than real fleshed out people. Like except for Ozu and Akashi (two of the characters), I would be hard pressed to remember anyone’s name, because they really are more archetypes in a story than real people. You have the down on his luck main character, the wise foolish master, the frenemy BFF who leads you astray, two other guys, the coward, and the love interest. However, for the tone of voice the author takes, and the shortness of the novella, it almost feels fitting to have these half real character more than fully fleshed out human beings.

All in all, while good, this Novella has a particular tone of voice and setting that I think isn’t really for me. But if you’re looking for some light hearted low stakes scifi, absolutely give it a read.

I was not able to finish this book. I read 50 pages (over 25% of the book) and it still hadn't grabbed by attention, I couldn't find myself caring what happened to the characters, and I found myself desperately checking my advance every couple of pages. I found it really hard to get into (perhaps because I didn't know it was a sequel), but I really tried for about a week before deciding to give up.

Release Date: November 7, 2023
Genre: Science fiction
Themes: Short-and-sweet sequels, time travel, college summer nostalgia

A follow-up to Tomihiko Morimi's 2004 work "The Tatami Galaxy," I wouldn't necessarily call this book a traditional sequel. In many ways, it's like a side quest to the original novel - a single adventure in yet another universe we hadn't discovered in the first book. It relies on our familiarity with the characters, settings, turns of phrase and rewards us with a wink and a nod every now and then.

In "The Tatami Time Machine Blues" our chaotic group of misfits returns, this time on a mission to prevent a the breaking of the building's only air conditioner remote... by travelling to the past with the aid of a mysterious college student and his time machine from the future. Of course, given the crew's disposition for misadventure, things go off track very quickly.

While it still relies fairly heavily on popular time travel tropes, "The Tatami Time Machine Blues" manages to be an invigorating romp in a small package. The characters still feel true to themselves even 19 years after the first book was published, and perhaps seem even sharper and more vibrant. At around 110 digital pages, it's a light science fiction fan's perfect read quick read for a sunny afternoon by the pool.

For fans of: Looking for a light-hearted adventure that calls back to time travel tales of the 80s and 90s? This is the book for you.

Fans of "The Tatami Galaxy" will find this follow-up a fun addition to the mythology of the series. Those who liked the ensemble experience of "Castle in the Mirror" but are more sci-fi inclined may also find this one an entertaining gem that summons a similar feeling of nostalgia for summers long gone.

The verdict: "Tatami Time Machine Blues" is a quick and entertaining read that will delight fans of the first book. It's a beautiful showcase of familiar characters in the context of a fun new adventure that's told with just as much heart and snark as the first. And I, for one, hope it's not the last we see of them.

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperVia for an ARC in exchange for a truthful review!

One of the better science fiction novels I've read in a while. It actually addresses the fact that the concept of time travel is not as simple as all the movies make it out to be. An easy and quick read but is still very engaging.

This was an odd little book. I'm not sure if reading the previous novel would have helped, but I frequently found myself chuckling at how utterly bizarre it was. I've noticed that a lot of novels translated from Japanese have a very flat narrative voice, and I definitely noticed that here. I like the novelty of that style a lot (as compared to the much less frank styles I usually see in other fiction), and here it felt as if it underscored the strangeness of the story: watch me report on extremely odd events in what reads like a monotone rendered on paper. It was sort of charming but definitely not very moving. Definitely entertaining, very imaginative, and grounded in a way that I appreciate, but made me scratch my head in more than a few places.

Enjoyable, great pacing, exciting settings kept me hooked. Intriguing novel that will be the perfect to lose yourself in. Thank you Net Galley for ARC in exchange for my honest opinion

Light-hearted fast-paced fun time travel storyline that has rightly been adapted into an anime. I hope more of Tomihiko Morimi's novels are translated because they're great!

What a strangely fascinating adventure in time. Set in a fairly mundane setting this story is about the paradoxes of time travel in what is effectively, a college dorm. A cast of characters that are just as full of intelligence as they are full of clumsy slapstick humor. We see them navigate only traveling in time ONE day and still managing to struggle not to send the universe into oblivion. What seems so average and everyday is seasoned with the fantastic as this group runs through hi-jinx trying to avoid their past selves simply to restore the remote control on an air conditioning unit? Not only that, but struggling through the embarrassing pitfalls of post adolescent relationships. Definitely a fun quick read for fans of Japanese storytelling.

I was a little concerned I wouldn't like this since I don't always like tales translated from Japan, but this is pretty good, and has an entertaining story. The premise seemed like a challenge to pull off, but it worked for me.

Thanks very much for the free copy for review!!

[Blurb goes here]

It all starts with an Air Conditioner remote control. Ozu, the evil demon-looking youngster (and the protagonist's worst friend), has ruined the remote, an accident Ozu is unwilling to take the blame for, even though he's entirely at fault. The buttonless A/C is rendered useless.

The protagonist's four-and-a-half Tatami mat room is now as hot as the Taklamakan Desert!

The group of friends (purely by accident, mind you) encounters a Tatami Time Machine. It looks like an ordinary tatami mat, but the dials, buttons, and levers hint at something more fantastic.

A Plan forms in the protagonist's mind: return to yesterday and bring back the working remote! All friends agree, putting the plan in motion, that is, until they realize that changing something might rupture the time continuum, destroying the universe as they know it!

Going into the story, I had yet to learn what to expect. I love Japanese fiction/fantasy. So I dismissed the blurb, downloaded a copy of the novel, and dove right into it.

You usually follow one or two characters when watching or reading time-traveling fiction. Morimi takes this a few steps further: what would happen if a group of friends went back in time? Worst even: they have a mission but readily ignore it, and hijinks ensue.

This is a fun, uncomplicated novel with a splash of romance and sci-fi...but mostly a lot of soul.

If you're looking for a fast-paced, fun read, look no further: The Tatami Time Machine Blues is the one you should pick.

Thank you for the advanced copy!

Thought fairly short, this book was a delight. It skillfully blended a light helping of sci-fi time travel shenanigans with the normal silliness and angst of the experience of being a college student. I'm not generally super into realistic fiction, but I do enjoy when realistic, simple problems (like gathering up the nerve to ask out a girl) are put into a situation where, for whatever reason, they take on great important (like saving the universe). The juxtaposition of things of very personal significance and very universal significance works wonderfully in this book; it's tightly plotted and of a very small scope despite the time travel component, but the themes and feelings within it are universal. The voice of the protagonist is clear and enjoyable, and there's a healthy dose of everyday absurdity (as in the story of the Electric Train Research Society) that I found delightful.

After reading it, I discovered that there is an accompanying anime series, which I definitely would like to watch. It also really gave me a hankering to visit Kyoto!

It’s summer in Kyoto and the a/c remote to the only air conditioner in the building ends up broken due to an accidental cola spill. A wake is held and condolences are given. Suddenly a time machine appears. Using that time machine to go back a day in time to save the remote? Relatable. This was such a fun and clever read. It’s delightful absurd and the ensemble of characters are fun and charming. The description and setting of campus life in Kyoto was also interesting. After reading it it was fun to go and look at photos of actual student apartments like the ones described in the book. If you are looking for a short fun summer read full of comical misadventure this is it.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

My experience with Morimi’s tatami world is solely from his first novel “Tatami Galaxy”, not any of the anime. The first novel is four versions of the narrator’s college experience in Kyoto that vary based on what club he joined in his first year. This novel presents as a fifth version, one where he and his friends use a time machine to go back one day and the hijinks that ensue by trying to keep the integrity of the past so they don’t create a paradox that might destroy the universe (a plot based on the play “Summer Time Machine Blues”). I thoroughly enjoyed returning to this cast of characters and I loved the plot. While it is probably helpful to have read the first book, I don’t think it is required to enjoy the time machine plot. A fun read, and now I want to watch the anime to keep the fun going.

A very fun time travel story! I really enjoyed all the characters and found the whole adventure to be comical and just an overall short and good time! If you're looking for an entertaining light read, I highly recommend!

The MC of these novels is just so thoroughly unlikeable - in a purposeful way. He just loves to blame anyone and everyone other than himself for his miserable life. Typically, this would ruin a novel for me. I rely heavily on characterization and connections to those characters. But these books seem to be different, with the points lingering through the stories. I enjoyed this one more than the first novel, and still found the unique narrative to be very compelling and drew me into the story. Annoying, yet quirky and intriguing and easy to read.

This was an excellent second novel in this series. I love this author , the characters and look so forward to more.

Tomihiko Morimi's The Tatami Time Machine Blues was a very engaging and surreal reading experience. From the beginning, the premise of a stressed college student stuck in a dorm with horrible temperature control was (all-too) relatable, and grabbed my attention! As I kept reading, the writing style and twisty plot kept me engaged, and made me eager to keep reading.

Close after the start of the novel, the voice of the protagonist was super fun and relatable: "If I didn't stop twiddling my thumbs, society would no doubt heartlessly slam its gate in my face. The breakthrough for revitalization was that civilized convenience: an air conditioner."

This incredibly relatable line made me sure that I would enjoy the rest of this work!
The writing style is very matter-of-fact and engaging, and I definitely love the narrator's literary voice.

A huge thank you to Tomihiko Morimi and NetGalley for the ARC! I enjoyed this book very much, and am excited to see what works are coming next.

Read this in one sitting! Quirky and fun sci-fi book and such a quick and easy read! :) The imagery made it easy to imagine the characters going through their time-traveling journey! Really had a good time reading it.

The felt like summertime and even though I do not envy anybody who is stuck without AC in the hot summer of Japan, I found this book to just be so much fun. Something about time traveling and hot summer days just seems right, IDK.

I will admit though, I was a little confused by some of the time traveling and the time jumping and the mix mash of characters. I couldn’t keep everyone straight in my mind. There were moments when I was shocked when a character came around because I didn’t expect them to be there but I really do think it’s my fault for not paying close enough attention, so that’s on me, no fault to you Morimi!