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pagesforages's review against another edition
4.0
3.5
I liked most of the stories but the first two essays seemed to just be lists of authors and stories. Quite pointless.
I liked most of the stories but the first two essays seemed to just be lists of authors and stories. Quite pointless.
deannamorley22's review against another edition
4.0
These short stories are what I'd call 'literary' sci-fi. They have a lot of relevance to the real world, so I think that even people who aren't fans of epic sci-fi stories like Star Wars would enjoy them.
I liked some stories more than others, but the ones that stood out were very clever. My favourites included 'What has passed shall in kinder light appear', 'Moonlight', and 'Goodnight, melancholy'.
I liked some stories more than others, but the ones that stood out were very clever. My favourites included 'What has passed shall in kinder light appear', 'Moonlight', and 'Goodnight, melancholy'.
yapxinyi's review against another edition
5.0
Really, really good. Original, dynamic and bursting with potential. I've always enjoyed [a:Ken Liu|2917920|Ken Liu|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1400610835p2/2917920.jpg]'s works - [b:The Paper Menagerie and Other Stories|24885533|The Paper Menagerie and Other Stories|Ken Liu|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1511290092l/24885533._SY75_.jpg|44534169] mostly - and this did not disappoint.
My favourite story would be What Has Passed Shall in Kinder Light Appear by Baoshu. It was longer than most of the stories in it, with a few mini-chapters, but it was absolutely lovely. The way Baoshu incorporated historical events you thought you knew (I didn't even know my history well enough to realise it was events going backwards /cough/) and you really see how humanity doesn't learn from history. :'(
I loved that Ken Liu thought of adding essays on Chinese science fiction (SF) in it too! I kinda knew that the Chinese government stifled SF and banned the time-travelling genre on Chinese television shows and broadcast after 步步惊心 (Scarlet Heart), but I didn't know that SF literature was so popular - well, gaining in traction, in any case. I bought Liu Cixin's [b:The Three-Body Problem|20518872|The Three-Body Problem (Remembrance of Earth’s Past #1)|Liu Cixin|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1415428227l/20518872._SY75_.jpg|25696480] right away after reading the first SF essay (I skipped right to the end at the bookstore while browsing HAHA) and so far, so good! Promising start.
Definitely worth a dip into even if you're sceptical - some stories are a bit science-y but most explore human relationships. And a little bit of philosophy. ;) You rarely get away from SF without some sort of thinking about the future of humanity!
My favourite story would be What Has Passed Shall in Kinder Light Appear by Baoshu. It was longer than most of the stories in it, with a few mini-chapters, but it was absolutely lovely. The way Baoshu incorporated historical events you thought you knew (I didn't even know my history well enough to realise it was events going backwards /cough/) and you really see how humanity doesn't learn from history. :'(
I loved that Ken Liu thought of adding essays on Chinese science fiction (SF) in it too! I kinda knew that the Chinese government stifled SF and banned the time-travelling genre on Chinese television shows and broadcast after 步步惊心 (Scarlet Heart), but I didn't know that SF literature was so popular - well, gaining in traction, in any case. I bought Liu Cixin's [b:The Three-Body Problem|20518872|The Three-Body Problem (Remembrance of Earth’s Past #1)|Liu Cixin|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1415428227l/20518872._SY75_.jpg|25696480] right away after reading the first SF essay (I skipped right to the end at the bookstore while browsing HAHA) and so far, so good! Promising start.
Definitely worth a dip into even if you're sceptical - some stories are a bit science-y but most explore human relationships. And a little bit of philosophy. ;) You rarely get away from SF without some sort of thinking about the future of humanity!
littlewishling's review
challenging
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.75
A really good introduction to Chinese science fiction although I think I might have enjoyed some of the stories more if I had a better understanding of Chinese history. There’s a broad enough range of stories that I can confidently say any reader will find one they enjoy.
Content Warnings
Minor: Ableism, Death, and Mental illness
anna_hepworth's review against another edition
4.0
This is a fascinating anthology, with a wide-ranging selection of beautifully written stories. Well recommended.
It doesn't get five stars, because, despite having finished it in the last few days, I can tell you nothing about the stories. The essays about the state of SF in China would need a few more readings before I hope to remember even half the detail, but they are a much appreciated detail.
It doesn't get five stars, because, despite having finished it in the last few days, I can tell you nothing about the stories. The essays about the state of SF in China would need a few more readings before I hope to remember even half the detail, but they are a much appreciated detail.
badesaba's review against another edition
5.0
Got the gorgeous physical edition from kinokuniya Dubai with essays by xia jia and liu cixin. I end up re reading most of it twice per annually just because it’s a constant by my bedside
madeline_'s review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
3.0
3 Stars! - I liked it, and would recommend if someone was looking for something similar.
This book was a gift.
It is hard to rate a book that is a collection of short stories because some I liked, some I did not. As a translated collection of science fiction from Chinese authors some of the stories really highlighted interesting differences in how I, as a person who grew up in western culture, and these authors frame the potential future. Overall I loved many of these stories. I think it was a perfect gift for me.
This book was a gift.
It is hard to rate a book that is a collection of short stories because some I liked, some I did not. As a translated collection of science fiction from Chinese authors some of the stories really highlighted interesting differences in how I, as a person who grew up in western culture, and these authors frame the potential future. Overall I loved many of these stories. I think it was a perfect gift for me.