Books from China

June Hayward and Athena Liu were supposed to be twin rising stars of the literary world. Instead, Athena is a wildly successful, critically adored Chinese American novelist, and June is a struggling white writer no one remembers. When Athena dies in a freak accident, June impulsively steals her just-finished manuscript, a sweeping novel about the Chinese laborers of the First World War, and revises and publishes it as her own, under the racially ambiguous pen name Juniper Song. The book is a smash, and June finally has the fame she believes she deserves. But the lie is fragile. As readers, journalists, and the internet begin to probe the story's origins, accusations of plagiarism and cultural appropriation gather, and June is pulled into a spiral of justification, paranoia, and escalating deceit. Narrated entirely in June's slippery, self-serving first-person voice, this contemporary novel is a sharp, propulsive satire of the publishing industry, performative diversity, racism, and the outrage machine of social media. It is Kuang's first departure from fantasy, turning her eye on the very business that made her, and on who gets to tell which stories.

• unreliable narrator
• morally grey

Oxford, the 1830s. Robin Swift, orphaned by cholera in Canton and raised in London by the enigmatic Professor Lovell, has spent his childhood drilled in Latin, Greek, and Mandarin for one purpose: enrollment at Babel, Oxford's Royal Institute of Translation and the source of the British Empire's power. At Babel, translators inscribe silver bars with the meaning lost between languages, unlocking magic that keeps the Empire's ships, factories, and armies running. Robin finds a fierce found family among his cohort of fellow outsiders — Ramy, Victoire, and Letty — but as Britain's hunger for silver pushes it toward war with China over opium, Robin is forced to choose between the institution that made him and the revolutionary resistance sworn to bring it down.

• dark academia

An alien signal arrives, igniting a decades-long crisis for humanity. As scientists race to understand the implications of first contact, a secret organization prepares for an inevitable invasion. This foundational novel in the Remembrance of Earth's Past trilogy launches an epic fight for humanity's future.

• first contact
• mystery box
• multiple povs

Humanity knows the Trisolaran invasion fleet is coming — and that it will take four centuries to arrive. Earth also knows Trisolaris can monitor every human communication and structure in real time, leaving strategists nowhere to hide their plans. In response, the United Nations launches the Wallfacer Project: four individuals are given sweeping authority and resources to devise defense strategies entirely inside their own minds, safe from alien surveillance, with no obligation to explain their true intentions to anyone — even their own governments. Among them is Luo Ji, an obscure astronomer-sociologist who has no idea why he was chosen, and whom Trisolaris has, inexplicably, marked for assassination above all others. As the other Wallfacers pursue grand, very public schemes, Luo Ji drifts through personal indulgence before slowly realizing that an offhand conversation years earlier may hold the key to humanity's only real chance of survival — a theory about the nature of the universe itself, and why civilizations that reveal themselves rarely survive the encounter.

• reluctant hero
• survival

In a world where giant mechs are the only defense against alien threats, a young woman named Zetian seeks vengeance for her sister's death. She becomes an 'Iron Widow,' a pilot who can power her mecha by sacrificing boys. Zetian must navigate a treacherous political landscape and a forced partnership with a controversial male pilot, all while fighting for her own survival and aiming to dismantle the oppressive system.

• revenge
• sacrifice
• forced proximity
• morally grey

Emika Chen is a notorious hacker who makes a living by betting on the Warcross games. When she hacks into the opening tournament, she accidentally glitches herself into the game and becomes an overnight sensation. But her newfound fame comes with a dangerous secret, as she uncovers a conspiracy that could threaten the entire Warcross empire.

• secret identity
• found family
• morally grey
• heist

Sadie Wen is the picture of a perfect senior: top of her class, endlessly helpful, universally liked. Her secret is a private outlet. She pours her real, unfiltered feelings into draft emails she never intends to send, venting about classmates, teachers, and above all her infuriating academic rival, Julius Gong. Then the drafts go out. Every one of them, to the entire school. Overnight Sadie's spotless reputation detonates, and the only person willing (or forced) to help her contain the fallout and track down whoever hit send is Julius himself, the boy she has spent years competing against. Ann Liang's young-adult rom-com is a sharp, funny enemies-to-lovers story about the masks high achievers wear, and what happens when the mask slips.

• enemies to lovers
• rivals
• slow burn
• coming of age

Rival gang heirs with a shared romantic past must team up against a mysterious madness devouring 1926 Shanghai, in this Romeo and Juliet retelling.

• enemies to lovers
• second chance
• forbidden love

A brilliant, unorthodox cultivator who pioneered a path of demonic cultivation and was branded a villain for it, Wei Wuxian is dead — or so the world believes. Thirteen years later, he is forced into a new body and a new name, Mo Xuanyu, and must navigate a world that has moved on without him while unraveling the mystery of a disembodied corpse terrorizing the cultivation sects. As he and Lan Wangji, his former classmate and the only person who truly knows him, are drawn together again, the truth of Wei Wuxian's past, his choices, and his feelings for Lan Wangji slowly come to light.

• slow burn
• redemption arc
• mystery box
• second chance

In a future America divided by war, a military prodigy named June hunts down the nation's most wanted criminal, Day. Their paths collide when June's brother is murdered, and Day becomes the prime suspect. As they are drawn into a deadly game of cat and mouse, they uncover a conspiracy that threatens to expose the dark secrets of their country.

• enemies to lovers
• reluctant hero
• multiple povs
• coming of age

Alice Sun feels like she's fading into the background at her prestigious Beijing school. But when she literally starts turning invisible, her life takes a wild turn. Facing mounting tuition fees, Alice decides to monetize her strange new ability by digging up secrets for her wealthy classmates. What starts as small-time scheming quickly escalates into something far more dangerous, forcing Alice to reckon with the consequences of her actions.

• morally grey
• coming of age
• secret identity

Eight hundred years ago, Xie Lian was the Crown Prince of the Kingdom of Xianle, a god beloved by his people. After a series of betrayals and tragedies, he was cast out of the heavens and spent centuries as a scrap-collecting mortal. When he ascends once more, he is forced to confront the ghosts of his past and the mystery of a powerful, ruthless ghost king who has been watching over him in secret for centuries. As the two are drawn together, the truth behind Xie Lian's fall and Hua Cheng's true devotion slowly comes to light.

• slow burn
• enemies to lovers
• forced proximity
• redemption arc

Explore the foundational text of Taoism with this direct translation of the Tao Te Ching. This edition emphasizes the original Chinese characters, allowing for a deeper personal understanding of Lao Tzu's ancient wisdom. It's an excellent resource for those seeking a clear and accessible entry into the philosophy.

A cruel emperor kills himself and wakes up back in the body of his younger, disgraced self, determined to make everyone who wronged him pay. But his fury at the teacher who once betrayed him starts curdling into something else entirely. A classic danmei reincarnation-revenge romance.

• second chance
• redemption arc
• enemies to lovers
• morally grey

In the city of Talin, a deadly game of skill and strategy unfolds, where contestants battle to the death for a chance at immortality. Two rivals, bound by a shared past and a dangerous attraction, find themselves pitted against each other. As the competition intensifies, they must navigate treacherous alliances and their own complicated feelings, knowing that only one can survive.

• rivals

Twelve-year-old Zack, unfamiliar with his Chinese heritage, discovers he's destined to host the spirit of the First Emperor of China. This unexpected role thrusts him into a mission to seal a leaking portal to the Chinese underworld before Ghost Month unleashes its spirits. When the Emperor accidentally binds to Zack's AR headset and his mom's soul is taken by demons, Zack must journey across China. With the ancient tyrant's voice in his ear, Zack must heist magical artifacts, battle mythical figures, and master water dragon powers to save his mom and prevent the underworld from flooding the mortal realm.

• chosen one
• reluctant hero
• quest
• fish out of water

After betraying his master and destroying his own sect, tyrant emperor Mo Ran takes his own life — only to wake up years earlier, reborn as a lowly disciple of Sisheng Peak. Determined not to repeat his crimes, he sets his sights on redemption, drawn ever closer to the one man he once despised most: his cold, beautiful teacher, Chu Wanning.

• second chance
• redemption arc
• revenge
• mentor figure

This file is missing one or two pages near the end of the book--the second- and maybe third-to-last page. Couldn't find anywhere else to make this note.

Zhou Mingrui wakes up in the body of a dead university graduate in a fog-bound, Victorian-styled world of airships, difference engines, and gaslit factories. Beneath the industry lies a hidden order of ritualists and "Beyonders" wielding occult power. To survive and uncover why his host body's owner died, Zhou Mingrui must master the same forbidden pathways himself, assuming a masked identity as he threads through secret societies, rival churches, and creeping cosmic horrors.

• secret identity
• mystery box

When a man from our time wakes up in the body of Klein Moretti, he finds himself in an alternate Victorian world powered by steam and shadowed by secrets. To survive cosmic horrors and find a way home, he must navigate a dangerous society of 'Beyonders' who gain power from arcane potions. Adopting the codename 'The Fool,' Klein slowly uncovers conspiracies that threaten the very fabric of his new reality.

• fish out of water
• mystery box
• secret identity

The founding classic of Taoism, teaching harmony with the unnameable Way through humility, simplicity, and effortless action.

This classical Chinese novel centers on the tragic love story of Jia Baoyu, Lin Daiyu, and Xue Baochai. Set against the backdrop of the Qing Dynasty, it chronicles the rise and fall of four prominent aristocratic families: Jia, Shi, Wang, and Xue. The story offers a sweeping portrayal of feudal society and the historical trajectory of its decline.

• love triangle
• family saga
• betrayal

On Silicon Isle, Mimi, a 'waste girl' of the lowest caste, toils amidst the electronic waste recycling industry controlled by powerful clans. Luo Jincheng, head of one such clan, tightens his grip as government restrictions increase. American corporation TerraGreen Recycling, represented by Scott Brandle and his interpreter Chen Kaizong, seeks to modernize the island's process. As these disparate forces clash, a futuristic virus is unleashed, igniting a war between the rich and poor, tradition and ambition, and humanity's past and future.

• multiple povs
• survival

Explore the sweeping history of ancient China through the "Records of the Grand Historian." This foundational text by Sima Qian chronicles centuries of Chinese civilization, from its legendary beginnings to the Han Dynasty. Discover the lives of rulers, thinkers, and everyday people, painting a vivid picture of China's past.

• multiple povs

This collection of short stories, originally written in English, explores various speculative themes. The narratives delve into different aspects of human experience within imagined futures and alternate realities. Each story offers a unique perspective on technology, society, and the human condition.

Clarkesworld Issue 115 presents a collection of speculative fiction from various authors, including Carolyn Gilman, Chen Qiufan, Gregory Feeley, and Sara Saab. This issue features diverse short stories that explore themes common in science fiction, offering readers a range of imaginative narratives. It's a journey through different futuristic landscapes and concepts, perfect for those who enjoy thought-provoking tales.

Clarkesworld Issue 152 presents a collection of speculative fiction from various authors. This issue features diverse stories that explore themes of technology, humanity, and the unknown, offering readers a journey through imaginative worlds and thought-provoking concepts.

• multiple povs

Sima Qian's monumental work chronicles the history of China from its mythical origins to the author's own time, focusing particularly on the Han Dynasty. This comprehensive record details the lives of emperors, generals, and scholars, offering invaluable insights into ancient Chinese society, politics, and culture. It serves as a cornerstone for understanding the foundational narratives and figures that shaped one of the world's oldest civilizations.