Cixin Liu

Yangquan, Shanxi, China

Born 1963

Biography

Liu Cixin is a Chinese science fiction writer, widely regarded as the most prolific and popular author in the genre in China. Born in 1963, he worked as a computer engineer at a power plant in Yangquan, Shanxi, for over two decades, using his spare time to craft his intricate and philosophical narratives. He rose to international prominence with his 'Remembrance of Earth's Past' trilogy, particularly 'The Three-Body Problem,' which became the first Asian novel to win the Hugo Award for Best Novel in 2015. His work often explores humanity's place in a vast, indifferent universe, grappling with complex scientific and ethical dilemmas. Liu's stories are known for their grand scale, imaginative scientific concepts, and profound cosmic scope, influencing a new generation of science fiction readers and writers worldwide.

Selected Thoughts

«The universe is a dark forest. Every civilization is an armed hunter stalking through the trees like a ghost, silently pushing aside branches, and trying to not make a sound. The hunter has to be careful, because everywhere in the forest are other armed hunters. If he finds another life—another hunter, a god, an angel, a demon, an advanced civilization, a primitive civilization—no matter what, he can only do one thing: open fire and eliminate them.»

«Weakness and ignorance are not barriers to survival, but arrogance and vanity are.»

«In the end, what we're left with is the sheer, awful scale of the universe.»

Writing Style

Cixin Liu's writing style is characterized by hard science fiction, focusing on rigorous scientific concepts and their implications. He employs a grand, cosmic scale, often exploring humanity's insignificance and survival in a vast, indifferent universe. His narratives are meticulously planned, rich in scientific detail, and often feature philosophical meditations on ethics, technology, and civilization's fate. While his characters can sometimes serve as vehicles for ideas, the plots are intricate and driven by high-stakes dilemmas, combining epic scope with a sense of cosmic horror and wonder.