Call number
Genres
Collections
Publication
Tor Trade (2022), 464 pages
Pages
464
Description
"From New York Times bestselling author Cixin Liu, The Wandering Earth is a science fiction short story collection featuring the title tale--the basis for the blockbuster international film, now streaming on Netflix. These eleven stories, including five Chinese Galaxy Award-winners, are a blazingly original ode to planet Earth, its pasts, and its futures. Liu's fiction takes the reader to the edge of the universe and the end of time, to meet stranger fates than we could have ever imagined. With a melancholic and keen understanding of human nature, Liu's stories show humanity's attempts to reason, navigate, and above all, survive in a desolate cosmos"--
Language
Original language
Chinese
Physical description
464 p.; 9.15 inches
ISBN
1250796849 / 9781250796844
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User reviews
LibraryThing member setnahkt
With a few exceptions, Cixin Liu’s science fiction is pessimistic. When the Earth encounters aliens, we don’t form the United Federation of Planets – they eat us. Or worse. And – possibly in response to censorship in the PRC – there’s a tendency toward authoritarian governments, staffed
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by selfless and faceless bureaucrats. Still, the stories in this collection are all interesting and worth reading. Show Less
LibraryThing member Jarandel
Feels a bit odd but good.
Maybe a kind of storytelling and sense of wonder usually associated with earlier works despite a ~2000 release, but with little or none of the problems/elements that sometime make older SF a mixed bag to read now.
Maybe a kind of storytelling and sense of wonder usually associated with earlier works despite a ~2000 release, but with little or none of the problems/elements that sometime make older SF a mixed bag to read now.
LibraryThing member santhony
I recently read Cixin Liu’s science fiction Three Body Problem trilogy, and was pretty much blown away. The second book in the series, The Dark Forest, may be the finest science fiction work I have ever read (and I’ve read hundreds). I was anxious to read more of his work and purchased this
This collection contains a few very good stories (Of Ants and Dinosaurs was magnificent), and several that were nothing to write home about. Overall, it was a good read, just not up to the level of the trilogy.
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collection of short stories as soon as I found it.This collection contains a few very good stories (Of Ants and Dinosaurs was magnificent), and several that were nothing to write home about. Overall, it was a good read, just not up to the level of the trilogy.
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LibraryThing member DarthDeverell
Cixin Liu’s The Wandering Earth collects ten short stories from the Hugo and Nebula Award winning author. The titular first story begins four hundred years in the future, where the world’s scientists have discovered that the sun will soon use up its supply of hydrogen and begin fusing helium,
The second short story, “Mountain,” recalls the work of Arthur C. Clarke as Liu uses the encounter between a human and an alien intelligence to posit how a society of artificial lifeforms might arise and how both their society and their environment could differ from ours. In “Sun of China,” Liu explores the possibilities of space industry and how it both democratizes space travel and can improve conditions on Earth. Liu further shows that such business would make near-Earth orbit profitable, but a lack of inherent profit might dissuade human exploration further into the solar system. In an unfortunately dated moment, Liu portrays a centenarian Stephen Hawking retiring to near-Earth orbit, though events in the real world have outpaced Liu’s storytelling ability with Hawking recently dying aged seventy-six (pg. 139). Despite this, what Hawking represents to the story still makes an impact and the narrative offers a good legacy for the late scientist. “For the Benefit of Mankind” is a futuristic crime noir story set against the backdrop of a conquered Earth and social inequality.
In “Curse 5.0,” Cixin Liu tells a story set in the future about a computer virus run rampant in an increasingly-digitized world. In a particularly nice touch, he includes a lucky vagrant version of himself in the future. “The Micro-Era” recalls the best of pulp sci-fi with the last survivor on an ark ship returning to Earth thousands of years after a cataclysm only to discover that humanity has shrunk to microscopic level and lives in domed cities to survive the nearly-uninhabitable conditions. “Devourer” is another first contact story, with the appearance of a crystal seemingly portending destruction for the Earth. “Taking Care of God” focuses on the aliens who created humanity returning to ask for our care in their dotage. The twist is that the alien species looks like little old men with white beards and canes. In “With Her Eyes,” Liu tells the story of a pair of cybernetic eyes and their owner seeking to fulfill the wishes of the previous owner. Finally, “Cannonball” focuses on a man awakening from cryogenic sleep to find his world changed.
Liu’s writing closely resembles that of Asimov or Clarke, examining big ideas in the style of someone recounting momentous events. Like those authors, however, he relies extensively upon exposition, often to the detriment of fully-developed characters. His human characters exist mostly to forward the big ideas Liu wishes to explore. For those used to this style of science-fiction, he is a valuable addition to the genre. Newcomers or those more familiar with contemporary styles may find it alienating.
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expanding into a red giant in the process. To save the planet, the nations of the world build massive engines to push Earth on a 2500-year journey to Alpha Centauri, the closest star system. Liu uses this premise to imagine how society would change if every human were motivated only to preserve the species on a generations-long perilous journey. The story was successful enough that Frant Gwo adapted it as a 2019 science fiction film, though Gwo primarily focused on Liu’s premise while telling his own story.The second short story, “Mountain,” recalls the work of Arthur C. Clarke as Liu uses the encounter between a human and an alien intelligence to posit how a society of artificial lifeforms might arise and how both their society and their environment could differ from ours. In “Sun of China,” Liu explores the possibilities of space industry and how it both democratizes space travel and can improve conditions on Earth. Liu further shows that such business would make near-Earth orbit profitable, but a lack of inherent profit might dissuade human exploration further into the solar system. In an unfortunately dated moment, Liu portrays a centenarian Stephen Hawking retiring to near-Earth orbit, though events in the real world have outpaced Liu’s storytelling ability with Hawking recently dying aged seventy-six (pg. 139). Despite this, what Hawking represents to the story still makes an impact and the narrative offers a good legacy for the late scientist. “For the Benefit of Mankind” is a futuristic crime noir story set against the backdrop of a conquered Earth and social inequality.
In “Curse 5.0,” Cixin Liu tells a story set in the future about a computer virus run rampant in an increasingly-digitized world. In a particularly nice touch, he includes a lucky vagrant version of himself in the future. “The Micro-Era” recalls the best of pulp sci-fi with the last survivor on an ark ship returning to Earth thousands of years after a cataclysm only to discover that humanity has shrunk to microscopic level and lives in domed cities to survive the nearly-uninhabitable conditions. “Devourer” is another first contact story, with the appearance of a crystal seemingly portending destruction for the Earth. “Taking Care of God” focuses on the aliens who created humanity returning to ask for our care in their dotage. The twist is that the alien species looks like little old men with white beards and canes. In “With Her Eyes,” Liu tells the story of a pair of cybernetic eyes and their owner seeking to fulfill the wishes of the previous owner. Finally, “Cannonball” focuses on a man awakening from cryogenic sleep to find his world changed.
Liu’s writing closely resembles that of Asimov or Clarke, examining big ideas in the style of someone recounting momentous events. Like those authors, however, he relies extensively upon exposition, often to the detriment of fully-developed characters. His human characters exist mostly to forward the big ideas Liu wishes to explore. For those used to this style of science-fiction, he is a valuable addition to the genre. Newcomers or those more familiar with contemporary styles may find it alienating.
Show Less
LibraryThing member sarahemmm
A set of sci-fi short stories by this Chinese author. Very interesting to look at the main tropes of classic sci-fi from a very different perspective. I particularly enjoyed Curse 5.0 and Cannonball.
LibraryThing member burritapal
The Wandering Earth 3 stars
"You are walking across a plane when you suddenly encounter a wall. The wall is infinitely tall and extends infinitely deep underground. It stretches infinitely to the left and infinitely to the right. What is it? Death."
Mountain 3 stars
A race originating in the core of a
Sun of China 3 stars
Story of the journey of a boy from a small village in Northwestern China, who leaves because his parents don't have enough money for him to stay. He goes to the province's capital and becomes a shoepolish boy, then to Beijing where he becomes a skyscraper window cleaner. Next, he's sent to orbital space to clean the "China Sun," a second sun that will help to cure the problems of climate change. Finally, he will become a crew member of an interplanetary mission.
Nostalgia for a good future, that will never come about.
For the benefit of mankind, 4 stars
it's the story of the capitalism of our world, how it could end: One person owning 99% of the wealth and the rest of the population owning only 1%. You do not own the air you breathe, and you do not own the water you need to exist.
Here's a part that I hated:
".. the junkmen experienced the luxury of the nearby City by sifting through its trash. Mingled in the rotten food, it was often possible to make out a roast suckling pig with only the legs eaten away, a barely touched grouper, whole chickens.. recently, it had become common to find whole Silkie hens, owing to the popularity of a new dish called White Jade chicken. The dish was prepared by slitting open the stomach of the chicken, filling it with tofu, and letting it simmer. The slices of tofu were the real delicacy; the chicken, while delicious, was merely casing. Like the reed leaves around rice dumplings, any diner foolish enough to eat the chicken itself would become the laughingstock of more discerning epicureans..."
Curse 5.0, 2 stars
"17 years had passed since the birth of the Curse, and a new era had arrived -- the entire world was caught in the web. Once, only computers had been connected to the internet, but the internet of the present was like a spectacular Christmas tree, festooned and blinking with almost every object on earth. In the home, for example, every electric appliance was connected to and controlled by the web. Even nail clippers and bottle openers were no exception. The former could detect calcium deficiencies in nail trimmings and send an alert via text or email. The latter could determine whether the alcohol about to be consumed was legally produced or send notifications to sweepstakes winners. The bottle openers could also prevent users from drinking to excess by refusing to open a bottle until enough time had passed since opening the previous one. Under these circumstances, it became possible for the Curse to directly manipulate hardware."
They lost me, when they started talking about the wildcards in the parameters, but I can grasp a moral from the story calling you don't need to buy the latest iphone, the latest model of car, because everything is connected to the internet and more and more expensive, and more and more complex. Moreover, it's created to fail, so that you will have to buy the next model: planned obsolescence.
The Micro Era, 4 stars
What's the solution to no resources on earth? Shrink humans 9 magnitudes.
"If only a tenth of the planet's ecosphere could be restored to what it had been in the macro-era, the micro-era would become a heaven on earth. In fact, much more could probably be restored. The Forerunner indulged in the warm Bliss of imagination: he could picture the microhumans' wild Joy when they would first see a colossal green blade of grass rising to the heavens. And what about a small meadow? What would a meadow mean to micro-humanity?
An entire grassland! What would a grassland mean? A green Cosmos for micro-humanity! And a small brook in the grassland? What a majestic wonder the sight of the Brook's clear waters snaking through the grassland would be in the eyes of micro-humans. Earth's leaders had said there could be rain soon. If rain fell, there could be a grassland and that Brook could spring to life! Then there could certainly be trees! My god, trees!"
Devourer, 5 stars
This is the most awesome story! When I was reading it, I would picture fangs looking like godzilla.
"Fangs shook his massive head, interrupting before they could speak further. 'It is a very simple matter: I must merely have a taste... '
And with that, his giant claw reached into the gathered crowd and snatched up a European head of state. He gracefully tossed the man, a throw of 20-odds feet, straight into his mouth. Then he carefully began to chew. From the first crunch to the last, his victim remained completely mute; it was impossible to tell whether it was dignity or terror that stayed his screams."
Fang's race is going to use the Earth, devouring it to increase the resources on their massive spaceship. They are going to allow some humans to live, taking them to their interplanetary ship, letting them live till the age of 60, then devouring them. Humanity is sad and bewildered, and asks Fangs' race to give them the technology they will need to escape their planet. However, he refuses:
" 'don't assume that you can build a planetary engine just because you understand nuclear fusion. It's a long way from a firecracker to a rocket. Truth be told, there is no reason at all for you to work so hard at it. In the Milky Way, it is perfectly commonplace for a weaker civilization to become the livestock of a stronger civilization. You will discover that being raised for food is a splendid life indeed. You will have no wants and will live happily to the end. Some civilizations have sought to become livestock, only to be turned down. That you should feel uncomfortable with the idea is entirely the fault of a most banal anthropocentrism.' "
"You are walking across a plane when you suddenly encounter a wall. The wall is infinitely tall and extends infinitely deep underground. It stretches infinitely to the left and infinitely to the right. What is it? Death."
Mountain 3 stars
A race originating in the core of a
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planet visits the Earth.Sun of China 3 stars
Story of the journey of a boy from a small village in Northwestern China, who leaves because his parents don't have enough money for him to stay. He goes to the province's capital and becomes a shoepolish boy, then to Beijing where he becomes a skyscraper window cleaner. Next, he's sent to orbital space to clean the "China Sun," a second sun that will help to cure the problems of climate change. Finally, he will become a crew member of an interplanetary mission.
Nostalgia for a good future, that will never come about.
For the benefit of mankind, 4 stars
it's the story of the capitalism of our world, how it could end: One person owning 99% of the wealth and the rest of the population owning only 1%. You do not own the air you breathe, and you do not own the water you need to exist.
Here's a part that I hated:
".. the junkmen experienced the luxury of the nearby City by sifting through its trash. Mingled in the rotten food, it was often possible to make out a roast suckling pig with only the legs eaten away, a barely touched grouper, whole chickens.. recently, it had become common to find whole Silkie hens, owing to the popularity of a new dish called White Jade chicken. The dish was prepared by slitting open the stomach of the chicken, filling it with tofu, and letting it simmer. The slices of tofu were the real delicacy; the chicken, while delicious, was merely casing. Like the reed leaves around rice dumplings, any diner foolish enough to eat the chicken itself would become the laughingstock of more discerning epicureans..."
Curse 5.0, 2 stars
"17 years had passed since the birth of the Curse, and a new era had arrived -- the entire world was caught in the web. Once, only computers had been connected to the internet, but the internet of the present was like a spectacular Christmas tree, festooned and blinking with almost every object on earth. In the home, for example, every electric appliance was connected to and controlled by the web. Even nail clippers and bottle openers were no exception. The former could detect calcium deficiencies in nail trimmings and send an alert via text or email. The latter could determine whether the alcohol about to be consumed was legally produced or send notifications to sweepstakes winners. The bottle openers could also prevent users from drinking to excess by refusing to open a bottle until enough time had passed since opening the previous one. Under these circumstances, it became possible for the Curse to directly manipulate hardware."
They lost me, when they started talking about the wildcards in the parameters, but I can grasp a moral from the story calling you don't need to buy the latest iphone, the latest model of car, because everything is connected to the internet and more and more expensive, and more and more complex. Moreover, it's created to fail, so that you will have to buy the next model: planned obsolescence.
The Micro Era, 4 stars
What's the solution to no resources on earth? Shrink humans 9 magnitudes.
"If only a tenth of the planet's ecosphere could be restored to what it had been in the macro-era, the micro-era would become a heaven on earth. In fact, much more could probably be restored. The Forerunner indulged in the warm Bliss of imagination: he could picture the microhumans' wild Joy when they would first see a colossal green blade of grass rising to the heavens. And what about a small meadow? What would a meadow mean to micro-humanity?
An entire grassland! What would a grassland mean? A green Cosmos for micro-humanity! And a small brook in the grassland? What a majestic wonder the sight of the Brook's clear waters snaking through the grassland would be in the eyes of micro-humans. Earth's leaders had said there could be rain soon. If rain fell, there could be a grassland and that Brook could spring to life! Then there could certainly be trees! My god, trees!"
Devourer, 5 stars
This is the most awesome story! When I was reading it, I would picture fangs looking like godzilla.
"Fangs shook his massive head, interrupting before they could speak further. 'It is a very simple matter: I must merely have a taste... '
And with that, his giant claw reached into the gathered crowd and snatched up a European head of state. He gracefully tossed the man, a throw of 20-odds feet, straight into his mouth. Then he carefully began to chew. From the first crunch to the last, his victim remained completely mute; it was impossible to tell whether it was dignity or terror that stayed his screams."
Fang's race is going to use the Earth, devouring it to increase the resources on their massive spaceship. They are going to allow some humans to live, taking them to their interplanetary ship, letting them live till the age of 60, then devouring them. Humanity is sad and bewildered, and asks Fangs' race to give them the technology they will need to escape their planet. However, he refuses:
" 'don't assume that you can build a planetary engine just because you understand nuclear fusion. It's a long way from a firecracker to a rocket. Truth be told, there is no reason at all for you to work so hard at it. In the Milky Way, it is perfectly commonplace for a weaker civilization to become the livestock of a stronger civilization. You will discover that being raised for food is a splendid life indeed. You will have no wants and will live happily to the end. Some civilizations have sought to become livestock, only to be turned down. That you should feel uncomfortable with the idea is entirely the fault of a most banal anthropocentrism.' "
Show Less