“I’d come to know the horrors of man and his capacity for destruction. I’d stared that destruction in the eye, felt its claws rip at my flesh and tear away at my very soul. On that day, I knew what it meant – how it felt – to behold a monster…”
Hello there, readers. Welcome to 2024!
It’s high time for a new short story, and this one has been a long time coming.
Back in the summer of 2023 (which I’m still getting used to referring to as “last year”), I began writing a story that had randomly popped into my mind and taken hold of my creative attention. I hit a few roadblocks (some involving the story itself, and others involving some personal things that needed tending to), and ultimately shelved the project for a few months. I picked it up again in November, but still couldn’t quite crack the approach I wanted to take for telling the tale. But finally, as 2023 wrapped up, I was able to nail down the final details and complete the story in the way I wanted to. And dare I say, I think the final result was worth the wait!
With that said, the Godzilla Novelization Project is proud to present “A Prayer for Peace,” a new short story inspired by Godzilla (1954).
The tale follows a young Japanese soldier who dreams of peace amidst the horrors and bloodshed of WWII. A decade later, when the shadow of a nuclear titan falls over his country, the soldier – motivated to fight for Japan once more – finally finds his opportunity to achieve the peace he so desperately wants, but in a way he never imagined…
The story takes the form of a first-person memoir crafted by the soldier during the events of the 1954 film, acting as an alternate perspective to the story that puts a unique spin on multiple elements fans will know all too well from the film itself. Part diary, part remembrance, and part warning for the future.
(Also – in a first for the GNP – this story has spoilers, so if you give it a read and want to share your thoughts, please do so without spoiling anything for those who haven’t read it yet!)
Check out “A Prayer for Peace” here.
Thank you all for your continuing support, and – as always – for taking the time to read this new story. (Also, a HUGE thank you to each and every one of you for making 2023 the best-performing year for the GNP! I’ll be sharing some pretty incredible stats and numbers in a future post, but to say I was blown away would be an understatement. You’re all amazing, and your excitement for this project never ceases to leave me speechless.)
Happy reading, and happy New Year to you all! I hope 2024 brings you success, fulfillment, and happiness.
The Godzilla Novelization Project 