During the 1930s, the Japanese military established control over Japan's Parliamentary government. Political adversaries were persecuted and sometimes assassinated. Navy and army officers were quickly installed in important political offices, including that of Prime Minister. In 1933, Japan withdrew from the League of Nations. The Japanese forces occupied the east coast of China; however, the Chinese did not surrender and the war continued until 1945. In 1940, Japan occupied joined the Axis powers of Germany and Italy. This intensified Japan's conflict with the United States and Great Britain, who reacted with an oil boycott. Oil shortage and diplomatic failures caused Japan to capture the oil rich Dutch East Indies and start the war with America and Great Britain. Before the start of the war in 1941, the population of Hawaii was over 400,000. That number included an Asian majority of around 300,000 and white minority of 100,000. The Japanese fleet which consisted of six aircraft carriers, two battleships, as well as several cruisers and destroyers was commanded by Vice Admiral Nagumo. The Japanese initiated one of the most successful surprise attacks in history at Pearl Harbor on December 7th, 1941. Full scale war began between the United States and the Japan. This story begins just prior to the attack on Pearl Harbor, as it follows the adventures of a Japanese Fighter Pilot, who is shot down during the bombing of Oahu and crash lands off the coast of Maui. Follow his struggle to survive in enemy territory and his random encounters with local natives, many of whom were of Japanese descent.

真珠湾攻撃という巨大な歴史のうねりの中で、一人のパイロットが辿る過酷な運命を、ジム・ドハティは極めて緻密な心理描写で描き出しています。本作の白眉は、敵地ハワイで彼が直面するアイデンティティの揺らぎです。自分と同じ血を引く日系人たちとの邂逅は、国家が定義する「敵」という概念がいかに脆く、残酷なものであるかを読者の魂に鋭く問いかけてきます。 極限状態でのサバイバルを通じて描かれるのは、兵士という記号を剥ぎ取られた一人の人間の葛藤です。美しくも過酷なマウイの自然を背景に、憎しみを超えた人間本来の繋がりに触れる瞬間の描写は、戦争文学としての品格に満ちています。戦時下の狂気の中で、真の敵とは何か、そして真の自分とは誰か。静かな感動と共に、人間性の本質を再定義させてくれる珠玉の一冊です。