Tomorrow you’ll be able to purchase Akira Nashiki and MonoKubo’s Dawn of the Mapmaker light novel. How about we discover a few things about it before it’s out? Thanks to Cross Infinite World, I was able to ask five questions to its editor, A.M. Perrone, who shared 5 things you should know about the title:
TheOASG: In one sentence, how would you describe what Akira Nashiki’s Dawn of the Mapmaker: The Surveyor Girl and the Forbidden Knowledge is all about?
A.M. Perrone: The start of an epic journey to discover more about one’s self and the world.
As you’ve been working on and reading this work, did this title remind you of a particular series or a mix of series?
Actually, what kept coming to mind for me was J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. I’ve always enjoyed the development between the characters and the sheer depth of the world in those stories and found the same enjoyment in Dawn of the Mapmaker. As for light novels, the focus on a specific trade in a medieval setting draws a lot of parallels from the Spice and Wolf series and I think fans of that will enjoy Dawn of the Mapmaker.
Mapmaking is a big focus in this LN. How much detail does this series go into that?
At first it doesn’t feel like much, but as the story develops you get a real idea of just how complicated it is to create an accurate map of a simple property in medieval times. Honestly, I kept thinking of those new drones being used to digitize and record maps via AI in comparison to having to do it by hand, with self-made tools like Unen does.
What surprised you the most as you worked on this?
How fast-paced and comprehensive Dawn of the Mapmaker is. This is perhaps one of the best Japanese light novel thrillers I have ever read—and I’ve read a lot.
Finally, what should readers expect when they check out Dawn of the Mapmaker?
Readers can expect to meet a cast of unique characters with their own mysteries and agendas at play as they set off on a thrilling journey to make a map of the world.
Feel free to check out the following works covered in this feature:
Young Master’s Revenge
Eclair
Sleepy Princess in the Demon Castle
Stupid Love Comedy