by Zachary Hill
PRAISE FOR SAKURA
桜知的財産の賞賛
“An epic story about a heavy-metal, super-ninja android during a cyberpunk apocalypse. It’s the best possible memorial for Zachary Hill and everything he thought was awesome. Tracy and Genesse did a fantastic job finishing this excellent book filled with samurai robots, evil megacorporations, jetpacks, espionage, hacker battles, anime fights, cyber nukes, bullet bikes—all with a badass, headbanging, horn-throwing, stage-diving soundtrack, blessed by the goddess of heavy metal herself. I loved it.”
—Larry Correia, New York Times bestselling author of HOUSE OF ASSASSINS
“A hard-rocking literary mosh pit about a heavy-metal android who becomes both the hero and villain of a brutal cyberpunk thriller. Sakura is loaded with more computers, guns, music, and hard-edged futurism than any five other books working together, and it gives you both barrels straight to the face. STOP HOGGING ALL THE AWESOME, SAKURA; LET THE REST OF US HAVE SOME.”
—Dan Wells, New York Times bestselling author of BLUESCREEN
“Sakura: Intellectual Property lands like a power chord from a world-class rock opera. From the first chapter, we are card-carrying members of the Sakura fan club. The story is tighter than a lead guitarist’s E string and twice as resonant. Any fan of outstanding science fiction will be rocked. Just press ‘play’ on Sakura.”
—Michael Darling, #1 Amazon Bestselling Author of GOT LUCK
“Sakura is a myth-tinted, hard-rock Japanese cyberpunk thriller that starts with a bang and gets louder. Full of mystery, mayhem, guitars, and swagger, recommended for readers who like THINGS THAT ARE AWESOME.”
—D.J. Butler, author of WITCHY EYE
“Heavy metal with hints of Ghost in the Shell, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, and the Illuminati. It’s a super fun ride.”
—Joe Monson, coeditor of TRACE THE STARS
“A cybernetic tour de force starring a plucky heavy-metal heroine—in which we find out if music really can save us all.”
—Julie Frost, award-winning author of the PACK DYNAMICS series
“Sakura moved me to tears; I have no other words. Zachary Hill was a true visionary, and Paul and Patrick made it a reality.”
—Chloe Mori Ward, Princess of the Fellowship of Metal
“Sakura is a headbanging, anthem-singing sci-fi thriller. Like the music, it will get your heart pounding.”
—Daniel Yocom, author and reviewer for Guild Master Gaming
“Sakura: Intellectual Property pounds with action, rips with high-tech espionage, and grips with the unfolding mystery of who enslaved heavy-metal sensation, Sakura, and why. The layers go so much deeper, though. The real heart and soul of this story, the thing that will keep you coming back for more, lies in its fascinating exploration of what it means to be human by examining it from the outside, through the eyes of a blossoming artificial intelligence. Sakura is for fans looking for a heavy-metal thriller that touches on our deepest desires: to love, to be free, to be creative, and through these things become greater than the sum of our parts.”
—Bradley P. Beaulieu, award-winning author of TWELVE KINGS OF SHARAKHAI
“Sakura: Intellectual Property is a stunning book, and not only because of its fast-paced, action-driven story, thrilling plot twists, gorgeous illustrations, and meticulously crafted playlists that engage the readers’ senses in ways other books never could. What makes this volume so exceptional is its capacity to make the readers interrogate both their own humanity and the personhood of others, to delve deep into the different and surprising aspects of being human and experience the wide spectrum of ways in which we show up in the world: imperfect, flawed, and broken, yes, but also brave, glorious, and alive in more ways than one. This work teaches us that the soul is never lost but may be hiding in the most unexpected of places, patiently waiting to be rediscovered and recognized for what it is: a “spiritual electricity,” as Rilke describes it. This is a book not to be missed.
—Dr. Masha Shukovich, multiple award-winning author
“A high-octane story, fueled by rocket-grade heavy metal. Sakura: Intellectual Property tells a high-tech tale of intrigue, action, and rock ’n’ roll. The main character, an android/rock star/Manchurian candidate, is written in vivid 3-D. This book is a page-turner from beginning to end. It reads like a full-stack Marshall amplifier. If I could, I would plug my guitar right into this book and shake down the rafters.”
—Craig Nybo, author, musician, and creator of CHOPS: THE OFFICIAL GUIDEBOOK TO AN ALTERNATE ROCK AND ROLL UNIVERSE
Copyright © by The Zachary Hill Irrevocable Literary Trust, U/A dated January 15, 2019
All Rights Reserved.
Cover art, interior illustrations & playlists by Sarah Steigers
Jacket design by Devon Dorrity
Interior design by FireDrake Designs
Published by Iron Dragon Books
Printer: Thomson-Shore
All characters and events in this book are fictitious.
Any resemblance to persons living or dead is strictly coincidental.
All songs mentioned in this book on playlists or in the text are the property of their respective copyright holders. No song lyrics mentioned in this book are from the actual songs and have been rewritten as parody lyrics in accordance with the fair use doctrine.
The scanning, uploading, and distribution of this book via the Internet or any other means without the permission of the publisher is illegal and punishable by law. Please purchase only authorized electronic editions and do not participate in or encourage the electronic piracy of copyrighted materials. All profits from this book go to Zachary Hill’s widow, Mackenzie Hadlow Hill. Your support of her is greatly appreciated.
Contents
Books & Stories by the Authors
Preface
Foreword
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Chapter 41
Chapter 42
Chapter 43
Chapter 44
Chapter 45
Chapter 46
Chapter 47
Chapter 48
Chapter 49
Chapter 50
Chapter 51
Chapter 52
Chapter 53
Chapter 54
Chapter 55
Chapter 56
Chapter 57
Chapter 58
Epilogue
Acknowledgments
About Patrick M. Tracy
About Paul Genesse
About Zachary Hill
Books & Stories by the Authors
著作目録
Zachary Hill
“The Tachi” (lead short story in Forged in Blood)
The Lost Promise
The Gods of Miskatonic
Sins of Prometheus
Sins of Prometheus 2
Fearless: The Powerful Women of History
“Red Snow” (The Crimson Pact Volume 5)
Uprising Italia
Behind the Shroud
Gorgon
Shattered Lands
Broken World
Witch Queen
Edge of the Empire
Raft of Medusa
Paul Genesse
THE IRON DRAGON SERIES
The Golden Cord: Book 1
The Dragon Hunters: Book 2
The Secret Empire: Book 3
The Crystal Eye: Book 4
The Iron Brotherhood: Book 5
“Onnen” (Shared Nightmares)
“No-Tusks” (A Walk in the Abyss)
The Crimson Pact Volumes 1–5 (Editor)
“Of the Fire” (Mech: Age of Steel)
Patrick M. Tracy
“Worth the Scars of Dying” (Noir Fatale)
“Machine Heart” (Mech: Age of Steel)
“Of the Earth, of the Air, of the Sea” (Kaiju Rising: Age of Monsters)
“Mungo the Undying” (A Walk in the Abyss)
“Sealed with Fire” (The Crimson Pact Volume 5)
“Darkness of the Sun” (The Crimson Pact Volume 4)
“Whispers in the Code” (The Crimson Pact Volume 3)
“Jar of Needs” (The Crimson Pact Volume 2)
“Red Bandana Boys” (The Crimson Pact Volume 2)
“Red Test” (The Crimson Pact Volume 1)
“The Failed Crusade” (The Crimson Pact Volume 1)
Preface
まえがき
Zachary Hill will live forever in our hearts. He will also live on the pages of the many books he wrote and illustrated, and on the canvases he painted. Knowing him was an incredible blessing, and his sudden passing January 15, 2016, left his friends and family devastated and heartbroken.
Zach had so much to live for. He had finally met and married the love of his life, Mackenzie. Only a few days before their one-year wedding anniversary, he collapsed soon after arriving at work. CPR was performed, but he did not survive. A large blood clot had formed in his leg and traveled to his lungs. The pulmonary embolism took his life.
None of us wanted his story to end. There was so much more that was supposed to happen. He was only thirty-eight years old, and the best years were ahead of him. He was called back to his celestial home far too early.
At his wake, with tears in my eyes, I stood beside his open casket and made a vow to friends and family that his last book would be published. Six days before he left us, Zach told me he had finished the first draft. I agreed to be the editor, and together, we were going to develop Sakura into the best novel he’d ever written. He was so excited about this book, and his idea was brilliant. Set in a dystopian future Japan, Sakura, a heavy metal–singing android is hacked and turned into an assassin. She fights her programming, trying to stop a secret cabal who is taking over the world.
Creating Sakura’s unique character was arguably Zach’s greatest literary accomplishment, and her story needed to be told. Eight months after Zach’s death, Joshua Hill, Zach’s twin brother, completed a light edit on the manuscript and sent along the file, which was 378 pages (92,000 words) and had the working title Intellectual Property.
I couldn’t muster the courage to read it for some time. The pain was too raw. Every time I opened the document, I got choked up and was only able to read a few pages, which was Josh’s experience as well.
Also, I was in the middle of finishing books four and five in my Iron Dragon series and used that project to distract myself from the grief. Zach was a fan, and to keep myself going, I would think, “Zach would want me to finish.” I eventually completed book four and was 45,000 words into book five when I realized I needed to stop my project and work on Zach’s novel. If I didn’t, it would be more than three years before Zach’s last book came out.
I finally read the first draft and began the rewrite on March 5, 2017, finishing my first draft on December 31, 2017. I incorporated Zach’s prose and wrote a lot of my own, expanding the summary chapters he wrote into full-fledged scenes. The final novel grew from 92K to 156K. I had recruited my best friend, one of Zach’s great friends, Patrick M. Tracy to help. Pat is an expert on heavy metal, a guitar player, and an amazing writer who writes incredible emotional punches.
Pat and I were in a gaming group and writers’ group with Zach, and we bonded over many hours at Larry Correia’s house, playing samurai in our Legend of the Five Rings role-playing game campaign. Larry has written the foreword and I’m so grateful for his help getting the word out about this book.
I could not do this project alone. Patrick and I forged ahead with the full support of Josh and Zach’s extended family. We read that original draft and brainstormed about our approach to an early version of the manuscript, which explored the meaning of life, artificial intelligence, philosophy, theoretical computing, value higher than self, rebellion, and the true meaning of heavy metal.
The character and story were awesome, but it needed to be fleshed out, expanded, and structured. Zach’s process would have seen him rewrite it multiple times, and we had to imagine the directions he would have taken. Over the course of twenty-one months, Pat and I spent hundreds of hours brainstorming and working on the novel as we sent it back and forth to each other.
We’ve never worked harder or longer on a book. This was a big deal for us, and we felt our self-imposed pressure to capture Zach’s vision. Some of Zach’s original prose is still in this novel, and the overall story is his, as are the characters, but we had to redream the dream, figure out what Zach would have done, and stay true to his vision as we took first-draft scenes and polished them. We had moments of self-doubt, but we persevered in the end.
We took on this project because we love Zach and wanted to honor him. It was also a way for us to grieve and come together and bring hope to his family and friends. We did it for them, and we did it for free.
All the profit from this project goes to Mackenzie, Zach’s widow. Zach’s father, George Hill Sr., Patrick Tracy, and I funded this. Many others donated their time and energy to help complete the book, as it takes a team. We were able to hire an amazing artist, Sarah Steigers, who did the cover and interior illustrations, and who spent so much extra time getting things just right. She made Sakura and the characters come to life, and her work is stunning.
Devon Dorrity’s cover design is also incredible, and we are so fortunate for his support, guidance, and expertise. Bradley Beaulieu’s development editing took this to the next level, and Jennie Stevens’s copyediting was awesome. The layout by Caryn Larrinaga in the high-quality, limited edition, signed, and numbered hardcover will make the entire book a work of art.
The support we’ve received has been wonderful, and this is the best and most important project of my life. We believe that Zach would love all of this, and we’ve felt him encouraging us along the way. He’s probably looking down on us, wearing his trademark “Elvis glasses,” which he wore in Iraq and for years upon returning home. He led a fascinating life, and his experiences led him to this story. His gentle soul and big heart are embodied by the title character of his novel, Sakura. As you read, you may see some similarities.
George Hill IV, Zach’s eldest brother wrote this passage: “He was an artist, a historian, a teacher, a two-tour combat veteran, and a prolific writer. He was a true warrior poet who always sought peace. He loved to play games and spend time with his family and friends. Zach was also a traveler. He adventured in other countries. He served his two-year mission for his church in Mexico, and he taught English in Japan and spent time in Italy. He served his country in the darkest places in Iraq and was a legitimate war hero. Now he’s gone to the Undiscovered Country. While he’s away from us for the
time being, we know we will see him again.”
Until then, we celebrate his life and his final creative work. Sakura: Intellectual Property is a project born of love. This novel brings together fiction and music in a unique way. This is a love letter to heavy metal, and Sakura is always thinking about music. The playlists at the beginning of each of the chapters contain songs by bands that Zach loved. We also added tracks that resonated with the story and helped us see the way forward.
Fans of heavy metal who are immersed in the culture may understand this at a deeper level, but casual fans will also read the song titles and album names and understand the relational meaning in the text. There are so many little nuggets hidden in this book that relate to Zach’s life, including the numeric designation of the army units he served in, along with music and movies he loved.
