Reviews

Supernova Era by Joel Martinsen, Cixin Liu, Cixin Liu

jenn_the_unicorn's review

adventurous challenging reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

kdahlo's review against another edition

4.0

Cool premise, lots of thought-provoking ideas. Not plot heavy or character heavy, and has a slightly disjoint, allegorical feel.

pkiwi's review against another edition

4.0

Narratively not as strong as Liu's famous trilogy, the sociological thought-experiment contained in this book is stimulating.

ericwheeler's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark funny reflective medium-paced

5.0

burruss's review against another edition

fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

pandoramedusa's review against another edition

2.0

At first it was a fun concept and very interesting to read the authors view on this post apacolyptic era with only children, but later on it became too longwinding, highly detailed and I became less and less interested in what would happen.

gentlemangeek's review against another edition

adventurous dark medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.25

A profoundly strange story that ultimately leaves too much left unsaid. 

thelemniscat's review against another edition

reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

lifepluspreston's review against another edition

4.0

Supernova Era by Cixin Liu--Liu is at his best when he's writing about humanity's response to forces wholly outside their control. He has a good sense of instincts, primal and otherwise, which shape our collective and individual actions, and that allows him to write compelling sci-fi. Here, he imagines a supernova in relatively close proximity to us which has the unfortunate side effect of systematically killing off everyone over the age of 13. From there, perspective shifts to an almost Ender's Game format where the (possibly all precocious) kids run the show. Liu is increasingly baffling in his scope and focus as the book proceeds, but the thought experiment is a fun one which he draws to a not-so-natural conclusion. I'd say this book is fun, disturbingly delightful, and possibly the most Chinese-centric/specific of his longer books that I've read, even if America is more centered in this than any of his other works. Reading the Afterward makes clear Liu's thoughts and intents in this book, and they're touching, though perhaps more inscrutable to a Western audience. Thumbs up, even still.

melrh's review against another edition

slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No

2.0