Invisible Planets

Invisible Planets is a collection of Chinese science fiction stories translated by Ken Liu, featuring works from seven contemporary authors. The anthology includes thirteen short stories and three essays that showcase the range of Chinese speculative fiction from established and emerging voices. The collection features award-winning works including Hao Jingfang's "Folding Beijing," which earned the 2016 Hugo Award for Best Novelette. Authors Chen Qiufan, Liu Cixin, and others present narratives that span from near-future technological scenarios to surreal tales set in transformed urban landscapes. These stories examine the intersection of tradition and progress, individual and society, and human relationships within rapidly changing environments. The anthology serves as a window into contemporary Chinese science fiction while exploring universal themes that transcend cultural boundaries.

Readers appreciate this anthology for introducing Chinese sci-fi authors to English-speaking audiences. Many note the unique blend of Chinese culture with futuristic themes. Likes: - Fresh perspectives different from Western sci-fi tropes - Ken Liu's translation work and detailed author introductions - Stories addressing class inequality, particularly "Folding Beijing" - Liu Cixin's contributions match the quality of "The Three-Body Problem" Dislikes: - Some stories feel experimental or abstract - Cultural references can be hard to follow without context - Uneven quality across the collection - Several readers found "Call Girl" and "Night Journey" difficult to connect with Ratings: Goodreads: 4.0/5 (2,800+ ratings) Amazon: 4.4/5 (230+ ratings) Notable reader comment: "The stories retain their Chinese essence while being accessible to Western readers. The variety shows the breadth of Chinese sci-fi, from hard science to magical realism." - Goodreads reviewer

Broken Stars by Ken Liu This anthology presents contemporary Chinese science fiction stories that explore similar themes of technological advancement and cultural transformation in modern China.

The Paper Menagerie and Other Stories by Ken Liu The collection blends Chinese culture with speculative elements, featuring stories about family relationships, cultural identity, and technological progress.

The Three-Body Problem by Cixin Liu The first book in a trilogy expands on the hard science fiction elements found in Invisible Planets, exploring physics concepts and first contact through a Chinese cultural lens.

Waste Tide by Chen Qiufan This novel delves deeper into the cyberpunk themes and environmental concerns present in some of Invisible Planets' short stories.

The Wandering Earth by Cixin Liu This collection of short stories presents additional works from one of Invisible Planets' featured authors, focusing on similar themes of space exploration and humanity's future.

🌟 Ken Liu, the anthology's translator, is himself a decorated science fiction author who won the Hugo, Nebula, and World Fantasy awards for his short story "The Paper Menagerie" 🚀 "Folding Beijing" visualizes social inequality through a city that physically folds and unfolds, with different social classes inhabiting the same space at different times of day 🎭 Several authors in the collection, including Chen Qiufan and Xia Jia, hold Ph.D. degrees and combine their academic backgrounds with storytelling, bringing scholarly depth to their science fiction 📚 The title "Invisible Planets" shares its name with one of the included stories and references the hidden worlds and perspectives that Western readers discover through Chinese science fiction 🌏 The anthology was published in 2016, during a period of growing international recognition for Chinese science fiction, following Liu Cixin's historic Hugo Award win for "The Three-Body Problem" in 2015