Well, we have our winners. Thanks to everyone for playing!

First up is Rafe for his poem. And I’m in it! It was very compelling.

Then, our first ever German-language comment from Kevin wins a prize. He points out that Western democracies engage in propaganda more subtly than authoritarian countries do.

Then there’s bes, who asks some questions about Itoh’s potential as a writer, had he lived, that I frequently contemplate. So I wanted to honor that with a prize.

And last, but not least, Jody. I’m a sucker for a rant.

Thanks again, all players! And stay tuned for our forthcoming titles and new giveaways!

Didn’t we just have a giveaway contest? Eh, whatever, here’s another one—this time for the brand-new Genocidal Organ! Woohoo!

The book is by Project Itoh, and basically involves the power of political propaganda to create humanitarian disasters. So, two themes for this essay contest, with two winners from each theme. (Remember, we judge on quality.)

Theme one: Project Itoh. We’ve published his novels Harmony and Metal Gear Solid: Guns of the Patriots, and his novella “The Indifference Engine” in The Future is Japanese. If you’re an Itoh fan–and you’ve read virtually everything he’s published by now–tell me what’s so neat about him, about his science fictional themes, why he’s cool, that’s sort of thing.

Theme two: political propaganda. Are we all ultimately just slaves to it. Does the media, and language itself control our thoughts, or just enough of them that we’re suckers for side-choosing and demagogues? Is there a way out of this royal, social, mess? Let me know!

The usual rules apply: leave your essay in the form of a comment. English, Spanish, Japanese, German, and Greek are fine. You can make it a poem, if you like! Noon Friday, Pacific Time, I pick the winners.