Description

‘We’re mysterious aliens in the crowd. We jump like fleas from future to past and back again, and float like clouds of gas between nebulae; in a flash, we can reach the edge of the universe, or tunnel into a quark, or swim within a star-core… We’re as unassuming as fireflies, yet our numbers grow like grass in spring. We sci-fi fans are people from the future.’ – Cixin Liu, from the essay ‘Sci-Fi Fans’

A View from the Stars features a range of short works from the past three decades of New York Times bestselling author Cixin Liu’s prolific career, putting his nonfiction essays and short stories side-by-side for the first time. This collection includes essays and interviews that shed light on Liu’s experiences as a reader, writer, and lover of science fiction throughout his life, as well as short fiction that gives glimpses into the evolution of his imaginative voice over the years.

Publisher Review

A true genius of the genre… leave[s] readers refreshingly excited not just about sf but about humanity’s future * Booklist, STARRED REVIEW * His stories are filled with a sense of wonder as they push ideas about the future of humanity to their extremes, and the personal essays offer a rare glimpse into attitudes towards science fiction in China and how the genre has changed. A fascinating collection. * Guardian * Very reminiscent of Golden Age science fiction, and it’s great * SF Crowsnest * A vital collection. . . . down-to-earth, but unafraid to ask big questions * Publishers Weekly * A wonderful insight into the writer and the recent history of the science fiction genre in China… Liu has always been a talented writer but is also a deep thinker… A must read * SF Book Reviews * ‘If the purpose of speculative fiction is to discover new ideas, or encounter old ones from an unexpected point of view, then A View from the Stars offers a galaxy of rewards to the reader.’ * The Wall Street Journal *