DAIKON

Brian Nishii is the perfect narrator for this outstanding alternate history. A U.S. bomber carrying an atomic bomb heads for Japan in early August 1945, but the B-29 crashes and the undetonated bomb falls into the hands of the Japanese. Nishii's performance is riveting as he delivers the events that follow. The Japanese don't know what the bomb resembling a "big, black daikon radish" is, but they soon discover it contains uranium. Nishii's Japanese accents deliver unquestionably real characters, including U.S.-educated scientist Kan; his imprisoned Japanese-American wife, Noriko; and vicious Army Lt. Col. Sagara. After Sagara witnesses the destruction of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, he becomes obsessed with using their "daikon" against the U.S. in retribution. Irresistible storytelling and Nishii's exceptional performance offer superb listening. S.J.H. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2025, Portland, Maine [Published: JULY 2025]