Scan barcode
ishouldreadthat's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-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? It's complicated
4.5
seeyf's review against another edition
3.0
This was my first time reading Chinese sci-fi and it’s a varied collection but the quality is uneven, perhaps a result of Liu’s approach of choosing stories he found personally memorable rather than trying to curate a “best of” anthology. There are stories inspired by western authors including one that remakes Douglas Adams’ “Restaurant at the End of the Universe”, but also stories that draw from China’s rich history and popular Chinese genres like chuanyue (穿越, where a protagonist travels back in time to historical periods).
I particularly enjoyed these stories: Xia Jia’s “Goodnight, Melancholy” which juxtaposes human-AI relationships as theorised by Alan Turing vs those realised in a possible future; Liu Cixin’s “Moonlight” whose protagonist contemplates the enormity of changing humanity’s fate while also searching for answers for his own happiness; Zhang Ran’s “The Snow of Jinyang” for its imaginative recreation of modern technology in the 10th century; and Baoshu’s “What Has Passed Shall in Kinder Light Appear” and Gu Shi’s “Reflection”, which both challenge our conventional notions of time and progress, the former at the scale of Chinese history and global affairs while the latter at an intimately personal level.
I particularly enjoyed these stories: Xia Jia’s “Goodnight, Melancholy” which juxtaposes human-AI relationships as theorised by Alan Turing vs those realised in a possible future; Liu Cixin’s “Moonlight” whose protagonist contemplates the enormity of changing humanity’s fate while also searching for answers for his own happiness; Zhang Ran’s “The Snow of Jinyang” for its imaginative recreation of modern technology in the 10th century; and Baoshu’s “What Has Passed Shall in Kinder Light Appear” and Gu Shi’s “Reflection”, which both challenge our conventional notions of time and progress, the former at the scale of Chinese history and global affairs while the latter at an intimately personal level.
linblythe_pub22's review against another edition
5.0
Stunning stuff, a great breadth of voices. It's lovely to see all these authors little known in the English language get elevated. The variety and continuity of this collection is excellent.
bookaroo2021's review against another edition
Could not renew it anymore at the library.
piecesofquiet's review against another edition
3.0
Like any anthology, it has ups and downs as the stories go on. Stylistically it feels very "classic" sci fi, with a lot of emphasis on thought experiments, although there's also a lot of romantic relationships taking center stage. It's ended with a few short essays on the history of sci fi and it's readers in China, in which the "Three Body Problem" marks a major cultural breakout.
zoes_human's review against another edition
5.0
Exceptional in breadth and depth, this anthology is nothing short of magnificent. It contains quirky humor pieces as well as the artful sort of stories that are blatantly ignored by those who wish to brush off any genre fiction as childish or unserious. With only one tale that I disliked, picking favorites from this one is a challenge. Nevertheless, I pick the following as my top three while reserving the right to change my mind tomorrow (or perhaps even in the more immediate future):
Goodnight, Melancholy by Xia Jia
A haunting short story in which Turing machines offer hope and possibility to the those struggling with depression.
The Brain Box by Regina Kanyu Wang
What happens to the human mind when the privacy of our final thoughts is lost?
The First Emperor's Games by Ma Boyong
This humorous and absurd tale of the first Qin emperor's quest for the perfect video game does require a little bit of knowledge about the Qin dynasty as well as the main warring Chinese philosophies, but the payoff is tremendous.
Goodnight, Melancholy by Xia Jia
A haunting short story in which Turing machines offer hope and possibility to the those struggling with depression.
The Brain Box by Regina Kanyu Wang
What happens to the human mind when the privacy of our final thoughts is lost?
The First Emperor's Games by Ma Boyong
This humorous and absurd tale of the first Qin emperor's quest for the perfect video game does require a little bit of knowledge about the Qin dynasty as well as the main warring Chinese philosophies, but the payoff is tremendous.
nukie19's review against another edition
4.0
Like many others, the Three-Body Problem trilogy was my introduction to modern Chinese Sci-Fi and I've been enjoying exploring the genre since. Ken Liu brings together a really nice spread of short stories in this compilation for those looking for an intro to other authors.
rcriii's review against another edition
4.0
This is a book of modern Chinese science fiction and fantasy, all originally written in Chinese by writers in the PRC (I believe). I read this during a recent trip to China, so it was topical. Despite the formal emphasis on, on the one hand scientific speculation and on the other hand supernatural or magical stories, Science fiction and fantasy generally reflects cultural and political concerns of the day, so I felt that the stories gave me a bit of insight into the country. The translation is quite good and the translator has included footnotes to explain Chinese historical and cultural references. I'm definitely going to read some of Mr. Liu's own fictions. Stories I liked:
"The Snow of Jinyang" by Zhang Ran: A scholar in a medieval Chinese city under siege is sent to influence or kill a Lord who has invented a string of inventions that allow the city to resist.
"The Robot Who Liked to Tell Tall Tales" by Fei Dao: The new King is such a liar and fabulist that he is unfit to rule. A robot is commissioned to outdo him in lies in order to save the kingdom. This is the story of the Robot's mystical journey to learn how to tell tall tales.
"The Restaurant at the End of the Universe: Laba Porridge" by Anna Wu: Nice take on Douglas Adam's creation.
"The Snow of Jinyang" by Zhang Ran: A scholar in a medieval Chinese city under siege is sent to influence or kill a Lord who has invented a string of inventions that allow the city to resist.
"The Robot Who Liked to Tell Tall Tales" by Fei Dao: The new King is such a liar and fabulist that he is unfit to rule. A robot is commissioned to outdo him in lies in order to save the kingdom. This is the story of the Robot's mystical journey to learn how to tell tall tales.
"The Restaurant at the End of the Universe: Laba Porridge" by Anna Wu: Nice take on Douglas Adam's creation.
thedocument's review against another edition
4.0
Wonderful collection of stories from a huge variety of different voices. Ken Liu does an amazing job at bringing each story to life. What Has Passed Shall In Kinder Light Appear by Baoshu is the standout - a romantic tale where the events of the 20th Century occur in reverse order.
zhengsterz's review against another edition
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Not as good as Ted Chiang, some cool ideas but none really sticks in the mind