Silent Hill 2: Official novel translated

[alone in the town]

I feel confident in speaking for the others, when I say we're not laying any of the criticism at your feet, nor at the language, either. It seems clear to me that the author is just not very skilled. No doubt if he was, it would have reflected well in your translation. There's just a lot that simply is not there and should have been. It's what isn't there that makes me dislike it, and that isn't your fault.

I don't believe any of this criticism should be construed to suggest that your efforts were wasted. We are, ultimately, a small number. The larger number will be less discriminating, and regardless of personal taste, it's still an important work you've accomplished because many people have been curious to read this, even myself.

[AuraTwilight]

AuraTwilight, I'm not entirely clean on what problem you're seeing. Could you explain a little more?

It's bullshit. Why is James speculating that Eddie is a split personality of his? Why is there suddenly a magical ghost gallows scene with James on trial and why doesn't the heavy-handed symbolism prompt a more meaningful response? Why the hell is Angela pregnant, and where the hell did the fetus go, and what does the pregnancy contribute to her story? Why was Maria shot instead of smothered, in order to prompt this bullshit "Maybe Eddie killed her" plot? Why does Eddie attack James when James didn't insult him?

This novel is total bullshit. The parts that are faithful to the original game are really summarized, boring, and don't offer any substance, and the rest is made up fanfic bullshit which makes the whole thing stupid, contradictory, silly, and nonsensical. This is supposed to be SH2 in novel form, not some whackoff's theories and what he thinks would be a "good twist" or "neato cool" or whatever. Fuck this novel.

Also, I agree with Alone in the Town. I very much appreciate the work being done into translating the novels (if at this point only for the sake of people seeing how they're not usable as a 'canon' resource), and it's no one else's fault that the novel is so crappy.

[Yoshata]

Why the hell is Angela pregnant, and where the hell did the fetus go, and what does the pregnancy contribute to her story?

I didn't think of that part as pregnancy. Why would she say that the fetus "longs for death"? I guess if she was projecting her feelings onto that fetus...but still, it's weird. I'm not saying you're wrong, and in fact, I wouldn't be surprised if the author meant she was pregnant. But, that's not what I personally thought of when I first read it.

[The Adversary]

>Why the hell is Angela pregnant, and where the hell did the fetus go<
What are you talking about? Angela isn't writing about a baby.

While wandering through an unknown town, I discovered that there’s someone else living inside me. A person neither man nor woman, who is healthy and energetic, and yet longs for death. I don’t know the boundaries anymore. Is that person me? Am I that person? Who was I to begin with?

This isn't about a child. It's a part of her. Really, it's a very Haruki Murakami-inspired passage, along the lines of The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle's Creta Kano, or any other number of characters from his library.

[AuraTwilight]

I've never read it; what does this "person inside her" that is a part of her get referred to as "neither man nor woman", then?

Either way it's still a problematic passage for this sort of problem. Why would Angela even be internally monologuing in such a manner of language like that? It makes little to no sense.

[The Adversary]

It means it's an aspect of her. You know, like how Eddie is "just another representation of [James'] own madness." How exactly could this be referring to a fetus? It doesn't have consciousness; it can't long for death.

And it's not an internal monologue. It's her diary.

[AuraTwilight]

I must have missed the mention of a diary; still reads weird to me.

In retrospect I don't see where the fetus thing came from. I must have misread something, since it was in the middle of other quotes I was being mad at; I still feel it was really awkwardly written, though, and only really serves to potentially confuse people.

More fanfiction, wee.

[KingCrimson]

I actually like what I've read so far. Giving each character some sense of internality is necessary in a storytelling medium like a novel, where if you were just following one person around (figuratively) the whole time it might not work. The gallows scene was a little over the top. It would have been awkward and clunky if the author had described James solving the hangman's noose puzzle as it appeared in the game, but I don't think the apparition was necessary, as you say. Overall, I'm not expecting Shakespeare, like any novelization it's gonna have flaws.

[PoemOfTheLastMoment]

Lady-Ducky....It's a great Translation....even though the source material is kinda wonky and unreliable.......thanke for putting in all that hard work on the project!!

[PoemOfTheLastMoment]

The Novel has been fully translated...i was surprised at the ending though.... i guess that was what Konami was going for...

[heavensnightsh]

Hey, thanks Ducky! I'll throw this in the kindle and give it a read!

[Lady-ducky]

I know it was the creators intention to leave the ending ambiguous so players could decide for themselves what became of James, but at the same time it's only natural that an author would have to pick one ending to use for a novelization. As with everything else, you're welcome to think of it as being cannon, or to continue thinking of the ending in whatever way you were before. No one can tell you how to interpret the story, that's up to you.

[AuraTwilight]

Which ending did they pick for the novel?

[PoemOfTheLastMoment]

The 'In Water' Ending...

[The SH Champion]

Are there Silent Hill Books too?

[AuraTwilight]

Um...yes. That's why this thread exists.

[Silent Fantasy]

the book isnt relevant. and its kinda wierd for a series like this that tries to stay withen human bounderies when it comes to language and actions (and for the most part does well) that the book uses awkward 'trying too hard to be deep' language. when SH2 was already well written. but i also dont understand anything about japanese writing and structure. still no excuses for the "fan- fic" stuff as it was called. none of this is anger either, just my arrogance showing. lol
and about the Angela scene, I didnt get her being pregnant from that passage. came off more as her knowing its in her to be happy, but feels disconnected from that person. but i dont have full context so i could be wrong. not that it matters.

[DistantJ]

This is pretty cool, if he does the rest of the chapters I'm going to port this to my Kindle.

[peronmls]

Can you translate 3? =(

[Freeston3r]

Can't wait to read this. Playing this game at the moment.