Life & fun · alternatives · 2026

24 alternatives to United States of Japan

Brilliantly brutal, alt-history sci-fi detective thriller

Below are 24 products that do a similar job, ranked by how close each is in meaning and then by launch-day votes. United States of Japan launched in 2016; newer entries below may have overtaken it.

1. 1
   Bending Adversity▲69

   A look at Japan's recent developments in Asia and the World

   2015 · amazon.com · its alternatives →

2. 2
   A Geek in Japan▲87

   Discovering the Land of Manga, Anime, Zen, and the Tea

   2015 · amazon.com · its alternatives →

3. 3
   Ametora▲69

   How Japan saved American style

   2016 · amazon.com · its alternatives →

4. 4
   Future Crimes▲62

   A harrowing deep dive into the dark underbelly of tech

   2015 · amazon.com · its alternatives →

5. 5
   Shogun▲72

   A bold English adventurer. An invincible Japanese warlord

   2016 · amazon.com · its alternatives →

6. 6
   Radiance▲79

   A decopunk pulp SF alt-history space opera mystery!

   2015 · amazon.com · its alternatives →

7. 7
   The Skies Belong to Us▲67

   Riveting read on the golden age of hijacking.

   2015 · theskiesbelongtous.com · its alternatives →

8. 8
   1Q84▲65

   The year is 1984 and the city is Tokyo

   2015 · amazon.com · its alternatives →

9. 9
   The Flicker Men: An Novel▲54

   Modern "sci fi" thriller about science, theology, and fate

   2015 · amazon.com · its alternatives →

10. 10
    Lexicon▲55

    Great modern SF thriller about the power of words.

    2015 · amazon.com · its alternatives →

11. 11
    Future Crimes▲64

    Inside the Digital Underground

    2017 · amazon.com · its alternatives →

12. 12
    The WikiLeaks Files▲67

    The world according to US Empire

    2015 · amazon.com · its alternatives →

13. 13
    City of Thieves▲66

    A novel about war, courage and survival

    2015 · amazon.com · its alternatives →

14. 14
    Totto-Chan: The Little Girl at the Window ▲65

    A runaway bestseller in Japan about a girl who finds herself

    2015 · amazon.com · its alternatives →

15. 15
    The Cartel▲62

    "An epic, gritty south-of-the-border Godfather for our time"

    2015 · amazon.com · its alternatives →

16. 16
    Dark Places▲56

    Mystery novel that deals with class issues in rural America

    2016 · amazon.com · its alternatives →

17. 17
    American Kingpin▲88

    The epic hunt for the mastermind behind the Silk Road

    2017 · americankingpin.com · its alternatives →

18. 18
    Americanah▲70

    A richly told story set in today’s globalized world

    2015 · goodreads.com · its alternatives →

19. 19
    Dead Wake: The Last Crossing of the Lusitania▲67

    Tale of the Lusitania & its fatal run-in w/ a german U-boat.

    2015 · amazon.com · its alternatives →

20. 20
    Station Eleven▲57

    A lyrical, dystopian tale driven by deep, flawed characters

    2015 · amazon.com · its alternatives →

21. 21
    Wild▲66

    From lost to found on the Pacific Crest Trail

    2016 · amazon.com · its alternatives →

22. 22
    The Last Samurai▲56

    The story of a young genius and his unique education

    2015 · amazon.com · its alternatives →

23. 23
    In Praise of Shadows▲68

    A delightful essay on the ethos of Japanese aesthetics

    2016 · amazon.com · its alternatives →

24. 24
    The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo▲72

    Murder mystery thriller that keeps you can not put down

    2015 · amazon.com · its alternatives →

Ranked by how close each launch is in meaning, then by votes. Prices were read from each product’s own site when checked and can change. Refine with your own description →