A View from the Stars

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A View from the Stars
Author Liu Cixin
TranslatorAndy Dudak, [1] Adam Lanphier, Jesse Field, S. Qiouyi Lu, Elizabeth Hanlon, Henry Zhang, Emily Xueni Jin
Language English
Genre Science fiction, Hard science fiction
PublisherTor Books
Publication date
April 2024
Pages224
ISBN 978-1250292117

A View from the Stars is a collection of six science-fiction short stories and thirteen essays by Chinese writer Liu Cixin, published by Head of Zeus in April 2024 and by Tor Books in May 2024. [2] [3]

Contents

Contents

Stories

Essays

  • "Time Enough for Love" (2015)
  • "A Journey in Search of Home" (2009)
  • "Thirty Years of Making Magic Out of Ordinariness" (2009)
  • "One and One Hundred Thousand Earths" (2011)
  • "On Finishing Death's End " (2010)
  • "The Battle Between Sci-Fi and Fantasy" (2002)
  • "The 'Church' of Sci-Fi" (1999)
  • "Poetic Science Fiction" (2014)
  • "Civilization's Expanse in Reverse" (2001)
  • "The Dark Forest Theory" (2015)
  • "The World in Fifty Years" (2005)
  • "On Ball Lightning " (2004)
  • "We're Sci-Fi Fans" (2001) [4]

Reviews

Paul Di Filippo wrote in the Locus Magazine , that "this collection does not exist at quite the same summit as his previous one [ To Hold Up the Sky ]" since the stories "amuse, but do not represent the heights of his writing, save perhaps for the final one." Nonetheless, "there’s much to admire when they are considered en masse". He adds that "once more, the bevy of deft translators earn our loudest applause" and concludes: "As with the work of Stanislaw Lem and the Strugatsky Brothers, Cixin Liu’s writings offer a rich and deep SF-centric worldview whose exoticisms are precisely balanced by the universal commonalities which all SF readers and writers share across the globe." [5]

Kirkus Reviews wrote, that the collection "offers up a palatable blend of speculative science fiction and insightful articles on the genre’s past and future". Especially the essay "Thirty Years of Making Magic out of Ordinariness" is "filled with so much insight into the genre, should be recommended reading for all aspiring science fiction writers." In summary, the collection is "a must-read for SF fans and writers alike." [6]

Publishers Weekly wrote, that its fiction entries "may be more down-to-earth, but they’re unafraid to ask big questions, including 'What is the purpose of the universe?'," concluding: "For Liu’s many devoted fans, this will be a welcome compendium." [7]

Sam Tyler wrote for SF Book Reviews, that the collection "acts as a perfect teaser for a new fan, and as an interest insight into those that already know the author." It is "an interesting collection in that it is not just a collection of stories", but also weighted towards Cixin Liu's non-fiction, mostly on the art and history of science fiction, both as a genre, but also how it developed specifically in China." In summary, it is "more of a retroperspective of Cixin Liu's career and not the latest thinking of the author", but still a "wonderful insight" ind´to a "deep thinker." [8]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hard science fiction</span> Science fiction with concern for scientific accuracy

Hard science fiction is a category of science fiction characterized by concern for scientific accuracy and logic. The term was first used in print in 1957 by P. Schuyler Miller in a review of John W. Campbell's Islands of Space in the November issue of Astounding Science Fiction. The complementary term soft science fiction, formed by analogy to the popular distinction between the "hard" (natural) and "soft" (social) sciences, first appeared in the late 1970s. Though there are examples generally considered as "hard" science fiction such as Isaac Asimov's Foundation series, built on mathematical sociology, science fiction critic Gary Westfahl argues that while neither term is part of a rigorous taxonomy, they are approximate ways of characterizing stories that reviewers and commentators have found useful.

Chinese science fiction is genre of literature that concerns itself with hypothetical future social and technological developments in the Sinosphere.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Liu Cixin</span> Chinese science fiction writer (born 1963)

Liu Cixin is a Chinese computer engineer and science fiction writer. He is a nine-time winner of China's Galaxy Award and has also received the 2015 Hugo Award for his novel The Three-Body Problem as well as the 2017 Locus Award for Death's End. He is also a winner of the Chinese Nebula Award. In English translations of his works, his name is given as Cixin Liu. He is a member of China Science Writers Association and the vice president of Shanxi Writers Association. He is sometimes called "Da Liu" by his fellow science fiction writers in China.

<i>The Three-Body Problem</i> (novel) 2008 science fiction novel by Liu Cixin

The Three-Body Problem is a 2008 novel by the Chinese science fiction author Liu Cixin. It is the first novel in the Remembrance of Earth's Past trilogy. The series portrays a fictional past, present, and future wherein Earth encounters an alien civilization from a nearby system of three Sun-like stars orbiting one another, a representative example of the three-body problem in orbital mechanics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ken Liu</span> Chinese-American writer

Ken Liu is an American author of science fiction and fantasy. Liu has won multiple Hugo and Nebula Awards for his novel translations and original short fiction, which has appeared in F&SF, Asimov's, Analog, Lightspeed, Clarkesworld, and multiple "Year's Best" anthologies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Baoshu</span> Chinese science fiction and fantasy

Li Jun, known by the pen name Baoshu (宝树), is a Chinese science fiction and fantasy writer. One of his books, Three Body X, is a sequel to Death's End by Liu Cixin. Baoshu received his Master of Philosophy at Peking University, and a second master after studying at Katholieke Universiteit Leuven. In 2012 he became a full-time science fiction writer.

"Sun of China" is a science-fiction short story by Chinese writer Liu Cixin, first published in Science Fiction World in Chengdu in Sichuan Province in January 2002. The short story was included in the collection The Wandering Earth published by Head of Zeus in October 2017.

"Curse 5.0" is a science-fiction short story by Chinese writer Liu Cixin, first published in 2010. The short story was included in the collection The Wandering Earth published by Head of Zeus in October 2017.

"For the Benefit of Mankind" is a science-fiction short story by Chinese writer Liu Cixin, first published in Science Fiction World in Chengdu in Sichuan Province in November 2005. The short story was included in the collection The Wandering Earth published by Head of Zeus in October 2017.

"Mountain" is a science-fiction short story by Chinese writer Liu Cixin, first published in Science Fiction World in Chengdu in Sichuan Province in January 2006. The short story was included in the collection The Wandering Earth published by Head of Zeus in October 2017.

"Devourer" is a science-fiction short story by Chinese writer Liu Cixin, first published in Science Fiction World in Chengdu in Sichuan Province in November 2002. The short story was included in the collection The Wandering Earth published by Head of Zeus in October 2017.

"Whale Song" is a science-fiction short story by Chinese writer Liu Cixin, first published in 1999. The short story was included in the collection A View from the Stars published by Head of Zeus in April 2024 and by Tor Books in May 2024. It was translated by S. Qiouyi Lu.

"The Messenger" is a science-fiction short story by Chinese writer Liu Cixin, first published in 2001. The short story was included in the collection A View from the Stars published by Head of Zeus in April 2024 and by Tor Books in May 2024. It was translated by Andy Dudak.

"End of the Microcosmos" is a science-fiction short story by Chinese writer Liu Cixin, first published in 1998. The short story was included in the collection A View from the Stars published by Head of Zeus in April 2024 and by Tor Books in May 2024. It was translated by S. Qiouyi Lu.

"Destiny" is a science-fiction short story by Chinese writer Liu Cixin, first published in 2001. The short story was included in the collection A View from the Stars published by Head of Zeus in April 2024 and by Tor Books in May 2024. It was translated by Andy Dudak.

"Heard It in the Morning" is a science-fiction short story by Chinese writer Liu Cixin, first published in 2001. The short story was included in the collection A View from the Stars published by Head of Zeus in April 2024 and by Tor Books in May 2024. It was translated by Jesse Field.

The Wandering Earth is a collection of ten science-fiction short stories by Chinese writer Liu Cixin, published by Head of Zeus in 2016 and Tor Books in 2017. It includes the eponymous novella The Wandering Earth, which was adapted in the movie The Wandering Earth in 2019 and expanded with the prequel The Wandering Earth 2 in 2023.

"Butterfly" is a science-fiction short story by Chinese writer Liu Cixin, first published in 2002. The short story was included in the collection A View from the Stars published by Head of Zeus in April 2024 and by Tor Books in May 2024. It was translated by Elizabeth Hanlon.

Invisible Planets is a science-fiction anthology edited and translated by Ken Liu composed of thirteen short stories as well as three essays by different Chinese writers, namely Chen Qiufan, Xia Jia, Ma Boyong, Hao Jingfang, Tang Fei, Cheng Jingbo and Liu Cixin. It was published by Head of Zeus in March 2016. It contains the novelette "Folding Beijing", which won the Hugo Award for Best Novelette in 2016, which also marked the first time a Chinese woman has won the award.

Broken Stars is a science-fiction anthology edited and translated by Ken Liu composed of sixteen short stories as well as three essays by different Chinese writers, namely Xia Jia, Liu Cixin, Tang Fei, Han Song, Cheng Jingbo, Baoshu, Hao Jingfang, Fei Dao, Zhang Ran, Anna Wu, Ma Boyong, Gu Shi, Regina Kanyu Wang and Chen Qiufan. It was published by Tor Books in February 2019.

References

  1. Dudak, Andy. "Andy Dudak". Andy Dudak. Retrieved 2024-09-08.
  2. "A View from the Stars". Tor Publishing Group. 2024-01-23. Retrieved 2024-09-08.
  3. "Summary Bibliography: Cixin Liu". ISFDB. Retrieved 2024-05-13.
  4. "Excerpt Reveal: A View from the Stars by Cixin Liu". www.torforgeblog.com. 2024-01-25. Retrieved 2024-09-08.
  5. Di Filippo, Paul (2024-04-28). "Paul Di Filippo Reviews A View from the Stars by Cixin Liu". locusmag.com. Retrieved 2024-09-07.
  6. "A View from the Stars". kirkusreviews.com. 2024-03-09. Retrieved 2024-09-07.
  7. "A View from the Stars". publishersweekly.com. Retrieved 2024-09-07.
  8. Murphy, Eamonn (2024-04-02). "A View From The Stars: Stories And Essays by Cixin Liu (book review)". SFcrowsnest. Retrieved 2024-09-08.