Ken Liu, Writer

Author of The Grace of Kings and The Paper Menagerie

writing

“Real Artists” in TRSF

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I can finally announce my good news. My story, “Real Artists,” is part of TRSF, a special publication of MIT’s Technology Review.

TRSF cover

Other authors in the collection include: Elizabeth Bear, Ma Boyong, Tobias Buckell, Pat Cadigan, Paul Di Filippo, Cory Doctorow, Joe Haldeman, Gwyneth Jones, Geoffrey Landis, and Vandana Singh! (Oh, and I translated the Ma Boyong story too.)

You can order a copy here.

Panverse Three Launch — “The Man Who Ended History”

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Panverse Three, an anthology of science fiction and fantasy novellas edited by Dario Cirello, is now available for purchase. (Scroll to the end of this post for links.)

panverse 3

The works featured are:

  • “Orion Rising” by Jason Stoddard
  • “Junction 5” by Gavin Salisbury
  • “The Man Who Ended History: A Documentary” by Ken Liu
  • “Martyrs” by Don D’Ammassa
  • “Dust to Dust” Tochi Onyebuchi

“The Man Who Ended History” is my longest published work so far and the one of which I’m the proudest. It is dedicated to the memory of the victims of Unit 731 and Iris Chang.

The other day, I found the following quote from Stanley Kubrick that seems to capture exactly why I wrote the story:

The most terrifying fact of the universe is not that it is hostile but that it is indifferent; but if we can come to terms with this indifference and accept the challenges of life within the boundaries of death — however mutable man may be able to make them — our existence as a species can have genuine meaning and fulfillment.

However vast the darkness, we must supply our own light.

Hat tip: Daring Fireball.

Steven Silver, writing for Tangent, writes:

“The Man Who Ended History: A Documentary” by Ken Liu takes its format from Ted Chiang’s “Liking What You See: A Documentary.” … Eric Wei and Akemi Kirino develop a process that allows people to view historical events, although each event can only be viewed once. … As disturbing as it is, “The Man Who Ended History: A Documentary” is one of the strongest stories so far this year and should see its way onto various awards ballots.

For SFWA members, there is a thread within the Nebula Awards recommendation forum for this story.

You can purchase the anthology from the following sources:

  • Panverse Publications: paperback (includes a special limited-time publisher’s discount).
  • Amazon: paperback.
  • B&N: paperback.
  • Electronic editions will be forthcoming.

Thank you for reading.

Mirror Shards Launch

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“Music of the Spheres” is now out in Mirror Shards: Volume One, an anthology of augmented reality stories edited by Thomas K. Carpenter.

mirror shards cover

Here’s the back cover book blurb:

EXPLORE the edge of augmented reality in thirteen tales from thirteen fantastic authors. When the digital world collides with our real one, bringing all its problems and benefits, mankind will have to relearn what it means to be human.

In this glimpse of possible futures, you will go on the hunt to track down a fugitive on the other side of the known Universe. Learn the price of ubiquitous knowledge, or find peace and understanding in the absence of it. Dive deep into the ocean to avert a kidnapping using only the tools at hand. Experience new realities underwritten by an alien love of entertainment. Find hidden truths contained within our smallest gestures. Hide something so valuable, it would drive a man to crime. Or find that sometimes, what it doesn’t hide is what endangers us most.

The Table of Contents:

  • “El Mirador” by Alex J. Kane
  • “Music of the Spheres” by Ken Liu
  • “These Delicate Creatures” by Melissa Yuan-Innes
  • “Below the Bollocks Line” by T D Edge
  • “The Sun is Real” by George Page
  • “A Book By Its Cover” by Colleen Anderson
  • “Of Bone and Steel and Other Soft Materials” by Annie Bellet
  • “Witness Protection” by Louise Herring-Jones
  • “Stage Presence, Baby” by E.M. Schadegg
  • “Gift Horses” by K.E. Abel
  • “The Cageless Zoo” by Thomas K. Carpenter
  • “More Real Than Flesh” by Grayson Bray Morris
  • “The Watcher” by George Walker

You can buy it from Amazon (Kindle), Amazon (Paperback), B&N, and Smashwords.

For more on the anthology, please see the publisher’s site.

Journal

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When I was in high school, I used to keep a journal, a handwritten one. I put all kinds of stuff into it, most of which would embarrass me now.

Then I stopped.

This post by Alex Payne reminded me of why journaling was important:

The difference between journaling and blogging or Twittering isn’t simply that a journal is private, it’s stylistic. Good blogging is not journaling. Good Twittering is not journaling. Good journaling may have elements of both media, but journaling entails a distinct voice shared within a well-considered context.

(hat tip: Day One App.)

So I’m going to try to journal again.