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3.69 AVERAGE
3.69 AVERAGE
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This short story collection is very good. Cixin Liu's style of science fiction is wildly imaginative. He scope is wide and deep, from philosophical themes to arts and politics the stories make you think about the "Big picture" of the universe in elegant, entertaining stories. It's always a treat to read stuff from this guy. My favorite stories were "The Thinker", "The Village Teacher" and "The Time Migration" there were some stories that were super weird like "Sea of Dreams" there were some stories that the logical conclusion I do not necessarily agree with like "Mirror" but I certainly appreciate the prompt to ponder the question of: what would happen if X were possible
The one story that I enjoyed reading the least was "Full-Sprectrum Barrage Jamming" because I was not comfortable with the romantic depiction of an all out war between Russia and the US, or more accurately a fictional universe where the Soviet Union is still alive in the 21st century and NATO forces were dumb enough to invade it. It was so weird to read about American troops given the same treatment that Western depictions of war give their war enemies. I hate it when war gets romanticized and I could not agree less with the theme and message of the story. Even then I still embrace the opportunity to see things from a different perspective.
Overall great collection of short sci-fi stories. Two thumbs up. Recommend.
The one story that I enjoyed reading the least was "Full-Sprectrum Barrage Jamming" because I was not comfortable with the romantic depiction of an all out war between Russia and the US, or more accurately a fictional universe where the Soviet Union is still alive in the 21st century and NATO forces were dumb enough to invade it. It was so weird to read about American troops given the same treatment that Western depictions of war give their war enemies. I hate it when war gets romanticized and I could not agree less with the theme and message of the story. Even then I still embrace the opportunity to see things from a different perspective.
Overall great collection of short sci-fi stories. Two thumbs up. Recommend.
adventurous
challenging
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
challenging
informative
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
hopeful
informative
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
The author is a master at coming up with half-interesting concepts and then beating all the wonder out of them with a stick.
Many, many of the stories in this collection are just so dull. They start with a concept that I can get behind - I liked the central conceit of "Time Migration," and the idea of the huge ball of ice in "Sea of Dreams." Then, Cixin ruins it all: stilted and jargony dialogue that serves no other purpose besides showing off how clever he is, forced metaphors, unimaginative worldbuilding, and weak moral lessons sap every ounce of interest I might have had at the start of the stories.
As a reader of all kinds of fiction, I must suspend my disbelief. There are things that readers should let go of in order to enjoy the work, without needing the author to explain literally every facet of the world they have constructed. For example, if I'm reading about an extraterrestrial being coming down to Earth, and that being can successfully communicate with humans, I can suspend my disbelief and leave that black box alone. Cixin doesn't think so, though, and then spends half a page explaining why a giant, massless mirror can speak English. Way to suck out all the whimsy!
Reading this stories is an exercise in utter disappointment. The writing itself wasn't bad, but I really expected more.
Many, many of the stories in this collection are just so dull. They start with a concept that I can get behind - I liked the central conceit of "Time Migration," and the idea of the huge ball of ice in "Sea of Dreams." Then, Cixin ruins it all: stilted and jargony dialogue that serves no other purpose besides showing off how clever he is, forced metaphors, unimaginative worldbuilding, and weak moral lessons sap every ounce of interest I might have had at the start of the stories.
As a reader of all kinds of fiction, I must suspend my disbelief. There are things that readers should let go of in order to enjoy the work, without needing the author to explain literally every facet of the world they have constructed. For example, if I'm reading about an extraterrestrial being coming down to Earth, and that being can successfully communicate with humans, I can suspend my disbelief and leave that black box alone. Cixin doesn't think so, though, and then spends half a page explaining why a giant, massless mirror can speak English. Way to suck out all the whimsy!
Reading this stories is an exercise in utter disappointment. The writing itself wasn't bad, but I really expected more.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Gore, Violence, War
Minor: Vomit
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I literally cannot believe Liu Cixin chose to write three whole books based on the [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] (the first of which I enjoyed and the latter(s) almost impossible to read)... When every single short story in this collection is a masterpiece. Seriously, if he took any one of these short stories and turned it into a full-length novel, I'd read cover to cover, over and over.
Okay, so I'm being a little over-dramatic. Most of these were hits, but there were one or two stories that were a little more miss. I think this is largely the reason collections of short stories rarely net 5 star ratings, because very few people will like every single one of the stories. But even though I'm happy to admit one or two didn't quite connect with me, I still found every short story in the collection to be insightful, powerful, and clever. I took something profound from each, and I'm sure this book will stick with me for a long time to come.
And those stories? Well, here they are:
1. The Village Teacher
A village teacher in a remote part of China tries, against his failing health to teach his students something of the universe. Honestly, I think about this story daily. It's my Roman Empire now.
2. The Time Migration
8 million people 'migrate' into the future due to overpopulation in the present, but find themselves further and further abstracted from what they know and unable to understand what they find in the distant, distant, distant future.
3. 2018-04-01
The rich have the money to live forever.
Felt just like an episode of Black Mirror.
*shudder*
4. Fire in the Earth
Fire pits get a 'modern upgrade' that has catastrophic consequences. This one was probably the least sci-fi of the lot, since it featured very real technology and very real communities. Or at least, it was written in such a way I felt "yes this has probably definitely happened".
5. Contraction
A short story that asks the question of what happens when the universe starts contracting. Without spoiling the "what does happen", this was absolutely FANTASTIC in audio-book format, though I would love to see what this looks like in print too. It seemed like a fun step into ergodic literature.
6. Mirror
A quantum computer is able to perfectly simulate the entire world down to the molecular level, which has a strange effect on... *checks notes* local agricultural politics. You know how I said 2018-04-01 was like Black Mirror? I take it back, THIS ONE is like Black Mirror. I listened to it right before bed and it also gave me nightmares. Big thumbs up.
7. Ode to Joy
Since this one also features a "mirror" it took me a while in the audio book to realise this was a different story, but I really enjoyed this one. At the final meeting of the United Nations in the not so distant future, a concert is held. Suddenly, an enormous mirror appears in the sky, reflecting the Earth back at itself. This one actually has a direct link to the Three Body Problem trilogy, since it's an alternative history of the Sophon.
8. Full-Spectrum Barrage Jamming
This one was probably the only one that was a 'miss' for me, but mainly because I didn't really 100% understand what was doing on. The short story was one big battle scene in a gruesome and bloody battle between Russia and the US/NATO. It had a really interesting (and sad) sci-fi tie in, but felt like a slow burn. Maybe I'm just not into war stories.
9. Sea of Dreams
A low temperature artist from deep space witnesses an ice sculptor carving art, and decides to drain the entire seas of Earth to create it's own incredible art piece for the human race, then disappears, leaving Earth to the consequences of "great art". This is the only one I re-read in the book because it messed with my brain so much I had a full on "wait what" moment. I wanted to hear it again. I kind of still want to hear it even again, as I'm typing this.
10. Cloud of Poems
One that nicely lead on from Sea of Dreams (and the names are a hint to that), in that this time our alien foes (or friends?) are preoccupied with poetry. Humans, in the distant future enslaved by a malevolent and all-seeing God, reckon with their fate. It's clever, witty, and has dinosaurs. What more could you want?
11. The Thinker
The final short story in the collection is essentially, a love story about the shortness of life compared to the lifetime of the stars. Two young people meet on a mountaintop and make an observation about the stars. They meet again by pure chance, and make an incredible discovery. They arrange to meet again, many many years in the future. Hey, I'm not crying, you're crying.
Okay, so I'm being a little over-dramatic. Most of these were hits, but there were one or two stories that were a little more miss. I think this is largely the reason collections of short stories rarely net 5 star ratings, because very few people will like every single one of the stories. But even though I'm happy to admit one or two didn't quite connect with me, I still found every short story in the collection to be insightful, powerful, and clever. I took something profound from each, and I'm sure this book will stick with me for a long time to come.
And those stories? Well, here they are:
1. The Village Teacher
A village teacher in a remote part of China tries, against his failing health to teach his students something of the universe. Honestly, I think about this story daily. It's my Roman Empire now.
2. The Time Migration
8 million people 'migrate' into the future due to overpopulation in the present, but find themselves further and further abstracted from what they know and unable to understand what they find in the distant, distant, distant future.
3. 2018-04-01
The rich have the money to live forever.
Felt just like an episode of Black Mirror.
*shudder*
4. Fire in the Earth
Fire pits get a 'modern upgrade' that has catastrophic consequences. This one was probably the least sci-fi of the lot, since it featured very real technology and very real communities. Or at least, it was written in such a way I felt "yes this has probably definitely happened".
5. Contraction
A short story that asks the question of what happens when the universe starts contracting. Without spoiling the "what does happen", this was absolutely FANTASTIC in audio-book format, though I would love to see what this looks like in print too. It seemed like a fun step into ergodic literature.
6. Mirror
A quantum computer is able to perfectly simulate the entire world down to the molecular level, which has a strange effect on... *checks notes* local agricultural politics. You know how I said 2018-04-01 was like Black Mirror? I take it back, THIS ONE is like Black Mirror. I listened to it right before bed and it also gave me nightmares. Big thumbs up.
7. Ode to Joy
Since this one also features a "mirror" it took me a while in the audio book to realise this was a different story, but I really enjoyed this one. At the final meeting of the United Nations in the not so distant future, a concert is held. Suddenly, an enormous mirror appears in the sky, reflecting the Earth back at itself. This one actually has a direct link to the Three Body Problem trilogy, since it's an alternative history of the Sophon.
8. Full-Spectrum Barrage Jamming
This one was probably the only one that was a 'miss' for me, but mainly because I didn't really 100% understand what was doing on. The short story was one big battle scene in a gruesome and bloody battle between Russia and the US/NATO. It had a really interesting (and sad) sci-fi tie in, but felt like a slow burn. Maybe I'm just not into war stories.
9. Sea of Dreams
A low temperature artist from deep space witnesses an ice sculptor carving art, and decides to drain the entire seas of Earth to create it's own incredible art piece for the human race, then disappears, leaving Earth to the consequences of "great art". This is the only one I re-read in the book because it messed with my brain so much I had a full on "wait what" moment. I wanted to hear it again. I kind of still want to hear it even again, as I'm typing this.
10. Cloud of Poems
One that nicely lead on from Sea of Dreams (and the names are a hint to that), in that this time our alien foes (or friends?) are preoccupied with poetry. Humans, in the distant future enslaved by a malevolent and all-seeing God, reckon with their fate. It's clever, witty, and has dinosaurs. What more could you want?
11. The Thinker
The final short story in the collection is essentially, a love story about the shortness of life compared to the lifetime of the stars. Two young people meet on a mountaintop and make an observation about the stars. They meet again by pure chance, and make an incredible discovery. They arrange to meet again, many many years in the future. Hey, I'm not crying, you're crying.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No