§Author· 4 books
Ken Liu
Also known as Kenneth Yukun Liu, 刘宇昆, Liú Yǔkūn
Speculative fiction gained one of its most decorated short works with "The Paper Menagerie," the first piece of short fiction to win the Hugo, Nebula, and World Fantasy awards simultaneously. American author Ken Liu expanded his influential body of work through acclaimed short fiction collections such as The Paper Menagerie and Other Stories and through his groundbreaking translations of contemporary Chinese science fiction, including Cixin Liu's The Three-Body Problem and Death's End.
Career & Background
Born in 1976 in Lanzhou, China, Liu emigrated to the United States at eleven years old. He studied at Harvard University, earning an undergraduate concentration in English before later receiving a doctorate in law from Harvard Law School. Prior to becoming a full-time author and translator, his professional background spanned roles as a software programmer and corporate attorney. His translation work played an essential role in bringing modern Chinese science fiction to international recognition, earning prestigious honors both in the United States and abroad.
Writing Style & Themes
Liu's fiction spans science fiction and fantasy, frequently examining technology as a language and exploring themes of history, memory, identity, and human connection. He coined the term "silkpunk" to describe a technology aesthetic that replaces traditional fantasy tropes with classical East Asian engineering traditions, as showcased in his epic fantasy series The Dandelion Dynasty. A highly prolific writer with well over 150 short stories, novelettes, and novellas to his credit, he has also written novel-length works including Jumpnauts: A Novel, while consulting and speaking on topics ranging from futurism and virtual reality to machine-augmented creativity.
Major Works
- The Paper Menagerie and Other Stories — An award-winning debut short story collection published in more than a dozen languages, anchored by the iconic title story that swept the Hugo, Nebula, and World Fantasy awards.
- The Three-Body Problem — Liu's English translation of Cixin Liu's novel, which received wide critical acclaim and helped introduce contemporary Chinese science fiction to global readers.
- Death's End — The English translation of the concluding volume in Cixin Liu's trilogy, continuing Liu's influential work as a literary translator.
- Jumpnauts: A Novel — A science fiction novel demonstrating Liu's expansive imaginative scope in long-form speculative literature.
§All Books
The Three-Body Problem
Cixin Liu, 2006
2,235 ratings
Death's End
Cixin Liu, 2010
911 ratings
The Paper Menagerie and Other Stories
Ken Liu, 2001
212 ratings
Jumpnauts: A Novel
Hao Jingfang, 2021
8 ratings