Pathway to Japanese Literature
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Panorama Island Strange TaleAuthor: Edogawa Ranpo
| Original Title | パノラマ島綺譚 |
|---|---|
| Author | 江戸川 乱歩 |
| Genre | Fantasy & Sci-Fi |
| Author Type | Male Author |
| Summary | In a remote coastal region of Japan lies an enigmatic island, long ignored until a wealthy family’s eccentric patriarch launches a secretive, grandiose project. Workers haul mysterious materials to its shores, constructing walls, gardens, and a colossal concrete structure shrouded in whispers of madness. Locals speculate about the family’s motives, fueled by rumors of the patriarch’s resurrection after a near-fatal illness and his subsequent erratic behavior. When the project abruptly halts following his sudden death, the island is left abandoned—a decaying labyrinth of surreal landscapes that defy logic. \nYears later, a destitute dreamer in Tokyo discovers he is the uncanny double of the deceased magnate. Consumed by visions of an earthly paradise, he devises an audacious scheme to steal the man’s identity and inherit his fortune. But as he immerses himself in this stolen life, weaving a web of deception, his utopian ambitions collide with haunting secrets and the watchful suspicion of the dead man’s wife. Between eerie undersea tunnels, phantom-like mermaids, and gardens where reality warps, a tale unfolds—one where obsession blurs into madness, and every paradise harbors a curse. |
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