"Daikon" offers an alternate view on WWII. I enjoy books of that genre, so I looked forward to reading this. It is clear that a lot of research went into it, and the plot seems well thought out on what could have possibly happened if Japan had had an atomic bomb. There was a lot of technical detail in relation to the bomb, and that could throw readers out of the story. A tighter edit with these details might have helped. The writing style was okay, but I never really had an emotional connection to any of the characters. As a result, the pace seemed a bit too slow, and some parts dragged a bit. If you enjoy historical books, and you like being educated along with entertained, this book may be one for you to check out.

Samuel Hawley’s Daikon is a captivating alternate history look at the final days of World War II from a Japanese perspective. Imagine a U.S. B-29 headed to Japan ready to drop the first atomic bomb, only to end up crashing with the quickly deactivated bomb on board. Found by the Japanese navy sixty kilometers from Hiroshima after the army’s having given up their own attempts to build an atomic bomb, the Japanese military now has its chance.

A Japanese physicist with a doctorate from UC-Berkeley, a former student of J. Robert Oppenheimer who returned to Japan and later worked on the now defunct Japanese project, is assigned the task of studying the bomb, figuring out how it works, and preparing it for an attack on the U.S. With his Japanese American wife held prisoner, he has a chance to secure her freedom. Can Keizo Kan and his Korean Japanese assistant Yagi accomplish their tasks?

With tensions between the Japanese navy and army over control of the weapon, the fire bombing of Tokyo, the subsequent devastation of Hiroshima, rumors that the Japanese government may soon surrender, and a shortage of high-octane fuel needed to carry out the mission, Colonel Sagara determines to get the plane into the air. But is this the right course of action? What happens when people involved start having second thoughts?

Readers should not miss Hawley’s detailed notes explaining sources, elaborating on a few historic details, revealing what is true to history and who inspired some of his characters.

Thanks to NetGalley and Avid Reader Press/Simon & Schuster for an advance reader eGalley. If you love a page-turner, pick up a copy of Daikon!

A dangerous opportunity in the last days of war

In what would be the final days of World War II, the American military was secretly preparing to drop atomic bombs on Japanese cities while the Japanese government struggled to come to terms with what was almost certainly going to be complete surrender. There were to be three bombs in total, not just the two we all know from history, But the plane carrying the third device developed mechanical difficulties while flying in Japanese airspace and crashed; all members of the crew died but the bomb itself remained, intact and undetonated. No one on the ground was exactly sure what to make of the bomb, but they came to suspect what it might contain. The military pressed physicist Keizo Kan to decipher the device and find a way for them to use it against the Americans, a Hail Mary effort to inflict major damage on their enemy. It was an offer that Keizo couldn't refuse, particularly with the leverage being used against him...his wife Noriko. Noriko was American-born Japanese, and although she gave up her US citizenship when she followed Keiko to Japan when war threatened she has been imprisoned as a possible danger. Keizo is desperate to rescue the wife he loves (having already lost his daughter during a bombing campaign), and is promised she will be released if he fulfills his assigned task. As his health and that of others working with him on the device begin to suffer, Keizo realizes that this bomb is far more of a threat than anyone realizes. What is he willing to sacrifice in order to save Noriko? Can he knowingly enable the vengeful Lt Col Shingen Sagara to loose this weapon on the enemy troops, knowing the devastation it will bring? In love and in war, it is not always easy to know what the right thing to do actually is.
Daikon is a work of historical fiction that looks at the final days of war through the eyes of the Japanese, both the bitter taste of likely surrender and the devastation that follows first the bombing of Tokyo and later Hiroshima as well as revealing a love story impacted by the conflict. Author Samuel Hawley does a wonderful job of depicting 1945 Japan and how war has affected all who live there. The main characters of Keiko and Noriko, the love they share and the challenges the war has brought to their lives, are fully realized, as are supporting characters like Yagi, ethnically Korean but raised in Japan (and regularly looked down upon because of his origins) who works at Keiko's side. I was enticed into reading this novel based on the glowing reviews of many talented fiction writers, and though I am impressed by the level of research that clearly went into the writing of the story and the intriguing "what if" premise of a third bomb that went astray and which could alter the course of the war, I felt that the overall pacing of the book and flow of the narrative fell victim to the overabundance of technical detail which popped up intermittently. It is still a fascinating read, but there are certain sections that dragged a bit under the information overload. Readers who enjoy historical fiction that reflects in-depth research, as well as fans of Anthony Doerr, James Clavell and Chang-rae Lee should consider adding Daikon to their must-read list. My thanks to NetGalley and Avid Reader Press/Simon & Schuster for allowing me access to this compelling debut novel in exchange for my honest review.

Daikon
World War II, misplaced atomic bomb, Japanese plots, and romance–what is there not to like? There were 3 bombs readied to be dropped—Nagasaki, Hiroshima, and the one that was misplaced in Japan by a downed American plane. The third (actually the first) was downed near Hikari. It was recovered and studied/ dissected by a Japanese team. This is the story of what happened to that team and bomb. It included the politics of the Japanese refusal to surrender, description of the bomb, interactions of the military politicians and the team members who studied the bomb, and the private life of the research director who led the study. This novel will appeal to both imaginative WW II interests and those who enjoy the personal interactions of people under extreme stress.

A well written story that kept me hooked from the very beginning.
I really enjoyed the writing style. I found myself hooked, turning the pages.

3.6 An interesting story on “what if” there was an unused atomic bomb in WWII that was located in an American plane shot down in Japan. A little too technical in detail for me but the novel presented an interesting historical perspective on the waning days of the war in Japan, centered on a Japanese physicist and naval soldier who unwillingly got caught up in a last ditch effort to try and win the war. It was not in my normal genre of stories yet certainly will be of interest to many. Very well researched by the author, 20+ years.

Thank you to NetGalley , Simin and Schuster and Mr. Hawley for the advance copy of Daikon.
From the moment I was approved for this book, I was looking forward to it. Kudos to the team for creating a book description that will cause many to pick it up.
It is clear that this author is a researcher for non fiction by nature. This book is so well researched. Typically when I read historical fiction, if there is something I didn’t know, I go back and look it up myself. Everything in this book is spot on. The one small critique I have is that at some moments the writing becomes so detailed that you can get lost in the minutia. This again is owing to Mr. Hawley being a researcher by nature. However, given that it was a debut in this form, quite well done. The writing flowed, the story progressed and I was gripped throughout.
WWII has been so written about that people are on two sides: either they want to read more books about this or they want no more. I think you will draw both in because this is so different that both groups will be interested.
In the Forest of Reading, I will be suggesting this book for the top ten.
Again, thank you for the opportunity, please keep me in mind for future opportunities to read advance copies.

Not my usual type of read, but I'm fascinated with anything Japan and the premise sounded interesting. I'm so glad I decided to give this a go. It's well written, unique, and highly entertaining. It was a bit of a slow burn, but in a good way. I really enjoyed the "what if" scenario about an undetonated nuclear bomb falling into the hands of the Japanese. The love story between Kan and his wife, Noriko, added a nice balance of romance and heartwarming to the storyline. Daikon is one of those books you read that will impact you for a long time to come.

Thanks to NetGalley and Avid Reader Press | Avid Reader Press / Simon & Schuster for a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

DAIKON - I found this book to be well written, interesting, and intriguing. I liked the characters, the story lines, and the struggles. I never thought of one of these bombs surviving a crash and falling into enemy hands. Source: Netgalley. 4*

An interesting ‘what-if’ alternate history story about Japan and the Bomb, that’s a must read for anyone who loves Alternate history.

I received a free DRC of this book through Netgalley. I do enjoy alternate history books as they open my mind to a lot of different scenarios. I was captivated by the story and main characters. We get to see glimpses of the marriage of Keizo and Noriko in their separate adventures. I was a bit surprised by the ending since it didn't seem like it was going that direction, but it wraps up neatly.

Imagine if there were three atomic bombs going to Japan in World War II and one gets in the hands of the Japanese after the bomber carrying it crashes. That’s what happens in the fascinating Daikon by Samuel Hawley. There is not a lot of action in this novel, but slow pacing leading up to the dramatic conclusion. Slow pacing is not translated to be dull. Quite the contrary. I had a hard time putting the book down wanting to know what the outcome would be for the war.


Publishing on July 8, 2025

Grade: A-

The setting: [misrepresented, IMHO] as "A sweeping and suspenseful novel of love and war, set in Japan during the final days of World War II..." Physicist Keizo Kan, whose young daughter, Akiko was killed in the Great Tokyo Air Raid; his Japanese-American wife, Noirko, has been imprisoned by the Thought Police. Kan is dispatched by the ".. Imperial Army to examine an unusal device recovered from the plane’s wreckage—a bomb containing uranium—and tells him that if he can unlock its mysteries, his wife will be released." And so it begins.

Of interest, conflicts between some officers, what was going on behind the scenes in the ministries and lines between army and navy.

I really wanted to like this book; but I did not. Often far too technical for my liking and flat and boring. I slogged through it. Some tension and "life" towards the end, but not enough to fully engage. I did enjoy the camraderie between Kan and Ryohei Yagi.

NB: The Sources and Acknowledgments were very interesting--shedding light on some of the characters and how the book came to be. An obvious labor of love for the author, did not pan out for me. And never a big fan of the neat and tidy ending--here just seemed somewhat offputting.

In the distinct minority of readers who rated this book much higher.

“Daikon” by Samuel Hawley is an alternative historical fiction piece that considers the question of what would have happened if the US Allies had had a third atomic bomb, and that bomb had been accidentally dropped (but not detonated) in Japan on August 1,1945? The physicist Keizo Kan is called to investigate what kind of mysterious object that has been found. Still reeling over the death of his daughter Aiko in the firebombings of Tokyo in the spring that had killed over 100,000 people in a single night and the imprisonment of his Japanese-American wife by the Thought Police, Kan is shocked and horrified by the uranium he discovers. At first, believing this is a single bomb—that the Americans could not have produced multiple bombs capable of such destruction--he agrees to help the Imperial Army. This, he feels, is the only way to get his wife released from prison. But then the Americans drop the atomic bomb on Hiroshima and Kan discovers the true and unimaginable power of the bomb. Japan is heading toward surrender, but those who know of the bomb’s existence want Japan to push to the end.

This is not my usual type of read, but having lived in Japan for nearly fifty years I was quite interested in reading this book. I don’t know much about the Imperial Army or about the construction of nuclear weapons. But it is clear to me that Samuel Hawley has meticulously researched these details, creating a suspenseful page turner. The characters’ dialogs seemed so authentic and so did the attention to setting details, which were seamlessly woven into the story. I I especially appreciated the author’s notes at the end of the book, detailing the references.

All in all, this was a great book. I felt like I had stepped into 1940s Japan. I believe it will be of great interest to fans of historical fiction pertaining to World War II and to people interested in Japan. While reading, I was already imagining the movie.

Many thanks to Net Galley and to the publisher for an ARC of this book. My opinions are my own.

Samuel Hawley has written an exceptional novel that takes us into the heart of Japan during the final weeks of World War II. His story builds off a hypothetical idea that there were three atomic bombs, and the third unexploded one falls into the hands of the Japanese.

The story is riveting. A Japanese scientist named Keizo Kan is summoned to work on this found bomb and is promised the release of his wife, who is imprisoned under a trumped-up charge. There is incredible pressure for him and the other people on his team.

The book is very detailed, and as a reader, you need to absorb all the nuances. It reveals so much about Japan at the time and the prevailing mentality of officers at the end of the war.

Overall, the book is heartbreaking and very well written. It is a true innovative story that would appeal to anyone interested in the war. It is a triumphant work and deserves to become a classic. It does present hope, even in the face of unprecedented destruction, a path forward.

Daikon combines the best of alternative historical fiction and a thriller. The premise is that in WWII, the Americans had not two but three atomic bombs ready to drop on Japan. But the first plane is shot out of the sky and the bomb doesn’t detonate and is recovered by the Japanese. A Japanese physicist, involved in their own efforts to design an atomic bomb, is brought in to try and determine how to use it against the US.
Hawley does a great job of setting the scene in time and place. The description of Hiroshima after it was bombed caused my stomach to roil. Hawley also doesn’t sugarcoat the effects of being near enriched uranium.
The characters are well fleshed out. Keizo Kan, the scientist, really wrestles with what he’s being asked to do, especially after seeing Hiroshima. What had been a hypothetical theory now has real world consequences. But the Thought Police are holding his American Wife and he is torn between wanting to rescue her and the death of hundreds of thousands more. And Colonel Sagara, overseeing the “program”, embodies the no surrender attitude.
Hawley has done his research and he imparts it to the reader without slowing down the story. I finally understand the mechanics of the atomic bomb.
Be sure to read the Author’s Note which gives more background on what was happening in Japan during the last months of the war.
My thanks to Netgalley and Simon & Schuster for an advance copy of this book.

Excellent research on Japan during the end of WW2 and interesting what-if scenario of a 3rd atomic bomb, undetonated, in Japan.

I’ve not read much, of Japan itself during the war, mostly the countries it occupied or the POW camps in isolated places, so I liked reading about the landscape and attitude from that perspective.

There is so much controversy and moral dilemma about the atomic bombs, whether it was necessary to end the war, and regardless, the depravity of doing so on civilians. I thought this was presented well and the information in the author’s notes was super interesting to that effect.

The characters - both heroes and villains - were well written, and I enjoyed the story, as sad as the undertone was. It touched on grief, duty, loyalty, fear, friendship and sacrifice, while also building the story and setting of Japan during the war.

Thanks to Netgalley for the advanced copy of this book. All opinions are mine

Daikon is a compelling alternate history novel set in WWII Japan, where the tide of war takes a chilling turn after a U.S. atomic bomb is captured. Physicist Keizo Kan is forced by the Japanese military to unlock the bomb’s secrets, with the promise of his imprisoned wife’s freedom hanging in the balance. As Kan works under immense pressure and suffers the effects of radiation exposure, he’s pushed to confront impossible moral dilemmas. When the military plans to use the bomb in a last-ditch suicide mission, Kan must wrestle with loyalty, humanity, and the devastating cost of his choices.

The story carries real emotional weight, yet maintains a strong pace and constant tension. I was fully invested in Kan’s journey—his internal conflict is palpable and deeply moving. We also get occasional chapters from his wife Noriko’s perspective. While I didn’t feel as strongly connected to her character, those sections are sensitively written and powerfully convey the trauma she endures.

Hawley’s prose is sharp and clear, and the historical setting is richly detailed without ever feeling heavy-handed. The blend of fact and fiction is seamless, making the premise feel all the more believable. Daikon is a standout read for fans of historical fiction and alternate history, offering both suspense and substance.

It was obvious while reading that this author is accustomed to writing non-fiction. Everything was too wordy for a novel, and I became brain-dazed while trying to read.

If you love WWII novels, this one will give you some much needed insight into other areas of the war, outside of Hitler and Nazism. Samuel Hawley gives us a fictional account, using some elements of non-fiction, to craft a story of the atomic bombs in Japan. What would have happened if three bombs had been sent to the Japanese cities and one did not detonate? Would the Japanese be able to unravel the mysteries of this bomb that fell upon them, and would they then try to retaliate against the Americans?

The undetonated atomic bomb falls into the hands of a military-madman who believes vengeance is the key to salvaging Japan's honor. He is willing to sacrifice millions of Japanese residents in order to achieve his goal.
Physicist Keizo Kan is thrown at the task of understanding this bomb and making it work. His wife has been imprisoned by the Thought Police and Kan feels he must follow orders in order to free his wife, even if much of humanity could be harmed. Keizo Kan befriends a young soldier for Japan, who is Korean and feels like an outsider looking in, finding himself in a lot of animosity and scuffles with others. They pair up to work together and find answers to the dilemma they face, both politically, humanitarian-wise, and for their own lives. The amount of research that went into this story was astounding and I really enjoyed learning more about the science behind the uranium bomb. Hawley did a great job in his incredibly detailed descriptions of the various intricacies of WWII coming from a different perspective of another country involved in this war.

I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in WWII and the intricacies behind the science of the atomic bomb and the political systems involved in wars. I learned a lot! Thank you for NetGalley and Avid Reader Press for the advanced review copy of this book. All opinions are my own.