Staff Pick
Ken Liu does it all in this collection: fantasy, hard science fiction, linked stories, standalone stories, great characters, tension, humor, plot. An entirely satisfying read. Recommended By Doug C., Powells.com
Synopses & Reviews
From award-winning author Ken Liu comes his much anticipated second volume of short stories.
Ken Liu is one of the most lauded short story writers of our time. This collection includes a selection of his science fiction and fantasy stories from the last five years — 16 of his best — plus a new novelette.
In addition to these 17 selections, The Hidden Girl and Other Stories also features an excerpt from book three in the Dandelion Dynasty series, The Veiled Throne.
Review
"Liu’s strong sentences and intelligent what-ifs will appeal to fans of Asimov-ian science fiction." Publishers Weekly
Review
“Several [stories] capable of piercing the heart.” Kirkus Reviews
Synopsis
Includes stories featured in Pantheon--now an animated series on AMC+ "I know this is going to sound hyperbolic, but when I'm reading Ken Liu's stories, I feel like I'm reading a once-in-a-generation talent. I'm in awe." --Jamie Ford, New York Times bestselling author
"Captivating." --BuzzFeed
"Extraordinary." --The Washington Post
"Brilliant." --The Chicago Tribune
With the release of The Paper Menagerie and Other Stories, Ken Liu's short fiction has resonated with a generation of readers.
From stories about time-traveling assassins, to Black Mirror-esque tales of cryptocurrency and internet trolling, to heartbreaking narratives of parent-child relationships, The Hidden Girl and Other Stories is a far-reaching work that explores topical themes from the present and a visionary look at humanity's future.
This collection includes a selection of Liu's speculative fiction stories over the past five years--seventeen of his best--plus a new novelette. In addition, it also features an excerpt from The Veiled Throne, the third book in Liu's epic fantasy series The Dandelion Dynasty.
Stories include:
Ghost Days; Maxwell's Demon; The Reborn; Thoughts and Prayers; Byzantine Empathy; The Gods Will Not Be Chained; Staying Behind; Real Artists; The Gods Will Not Be Slain; Altogether Elsewhere, Vast Herds of Reindeer; The Gods Have Not Died in Vain; Memories of My Mother; Dispatches from the Cradle: The Hermit--Forty-Eight Hours in the Sea of Massachusetts; Grey Rabbit, Crimson Mare, Coal Leopard; A Chase Beyond the Storms (an excerpt from The Veiled Throne, Book 3 of the Dandelion Dynasty); The Hidden Girl; Seven Birthdays; The Message; Cutting
About the Author
Ken Liu is one of the most lauded authors in the field of American literature. A winner of the Nebula, Hugo, World Fantasy, Locus Sidewise, and Science Fiction & Fantasy Translation Awards, he has also been nominated for the Sturgeon and Locus Awards. His short story, “The Paper Menagerie,” is the first work of fiction to simultaneously win the Nebula, Hugo, and World Fantasy Awards. He also translated the 2015 Hugo Award–winning novel The Three-Body Problem, written by Cixin Liu, which is the first novel to ever win the Hugo award in translation. The Grace of Kings, his debut novel, is the first volume in a silkpunk epic fantasy series set in a universe he and his wife, artist Lisa Tang Liu, created together. It was a finalist for a Nebula Award and the recipient of the Locus Award for Best First Novel. He lives near Boston with his family.