Re:Liu Cixin, China’s hottest science-fiction writer
by fsloth on Sunday August 09, 2015 @07:56AM
(#10030095)
The description of the plot strongly reminds me of relationship of china with the industrialized nations in the 19th century - huge technology gap and threat of effective colonization from 'alien' barbarians. Is it popular because it's inspired by a historic national trauma or because it's actually good?
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Re:Liu Cixin, China’s hottest science-fiction writer
by pavlov on Sunday August 09, 2015 @08:07AM
(#10030111)
The science fiction genre is often so much about ideas that the difference becomes moot.
For example, Robert Heinlein's books are hardly "actually good" in any sense understood by conventional literal criticism, but they certainly have made a lasting impression by extrapolating upon some very American political ideas and national archetypes.
Re:Liu Cixin, China’s hottest science-fiction writer
by freewizard on Sunday August 09, 2015 @01:02PM
(#10030715)
every author comes with his/her background, but IMHO the historical root plays a much less significant role in ttbp trilogy than it does in grrm's asoiaf. ttbp is somewhat more close to Cthulhu Mythos in which mankind feels powerless facing alien with unknown purpose and incomprehensible technology.