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rouge_red's review
adventurous
informative
medium-paced
1.5
When I say this book was cinematic, this is the first time I don't mean that as a complement. "Show, not tell" came to mind at so many points of this book. And book being the operative word here. I suppose the author must have envisioned Jumpnauts with a film in mind because the character descriptions, unnatural way of talking, action sequences, heavy expositions, etc. all would work better in on a screen. There were times I would get into the book because there were some good ideas, but I'd inevitably get taken out due to one of the factors I mentioned. I just don't think this is well written book (although I'll give some allowance for the style due to translation.) but so much falls short for me. I want to be in awe, but the book is bogged down by soooo much talking and exposition and I wished the author would have incorporated information in a way that didn't feel like a lecture. Sure, there were times when the book flowed a little more smoothly, which I noted were in sections without heavier dialogue. And when Huhu came in...well, I'm glad we had someone who had more relaxed dialogue.
All in all, I won't be continuing.
All in all, I won't be continuing.
hawley's review against another edition
challenging
hopeful
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
laurareads87's review
adventurous
challenging
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
Jumpnauts follows a small group attempts “a desperate mission of first contact with a mysterious alien race before more militaristic minds can take matters into their own hands.” Jiang Liu, a young astronomer from a wealthy family, Qi Fei, a military researcher, and archaeologist Yun Fan shift from rivals to allies as they aim to unravel a series of mysteries and prevent war.
Initially, this book reads much more in a thriller/espionage vein than I’d expected, and the very beginning is a bit slow; however, I was quickly drawn in. In addition to the central plot involving both alien contact and human politics, the characters’ relationships and back stories are well developed, including their relationships with their families (who are secondary characters and/or absent but very much have an impact).
There are many, many references in this text – the characters debate Chinese philosophy including Confucianism and Mohism, discuss LeGuin’s “The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas,” and underlying themes include artificial intelligence, democratic decision-making, human/technology interfacing, and more. Ken Liu’s footnotes were immensely helpful for me when it came to the nuances of the conversations on Chinese traditions – I would recommend reading his introduction to get a sense of his approach.
Since reading this, I’ve learned that it is intended to be book one in a series; based on it, I’ll happily pick up the next one when it comes available.
Content warnings: sexism / misogyny, (threat of) war, classism
Content Warnings
Minor: War, Sexism, Classism, and Misogyny
aleesroe's review against another edition
I did unfortunately DNF this one about 25% in. My biggest complaint was surrounding the characters. Everyone seemed to know each other from before and I felt like I was playing catch up, almost as if this was a sequel to a book I didn’t read. I did find it comical in parts, especially with the expedition getting bigger and bigger because people kept inviting themselves. Im bummed I decided to put it down because I would have liked to see the outcome with the alien contact but life is too short to push through books you aren’t enjoying
ryanlaflamme's review against another edition
challenging
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
1.5
ericathj's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.75
3.75 stars. Solid and entertaining read, especially enjoyed the ending. I loved the integration of science with Chinese myth and history. And thought Ken Liu did an excellent translation, particularly with the fact that he left some words like long and qi lin in the pinyin, which helped maintain the authenticity and artistic choices of the original.
grace_reads_sometimes's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
I really enjoyed this book and getting a sci-fi story from a Chinese perspective. The writing was easy to follow and funny (thanks in part to the excellent translation). I love the concept of ancient aliens so this really scratched an itch for me.
cbee's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
bebidocrimes's review
I was ready to meet this book where it's at with regards to the Ancient Aliens theory, but frequently a scene would delve into dialogue heavy philosophy debates that I was not interested in. I almost read on to meet the aliens, but I didn't love the characters enough for the stakes to matter to me.