A first contact SF novel, from the Hugo Award–winning author of Folding Beijing.

A first contact SF novel, from the Hugo Award–winning author of Folding Beijing.

2080, the world is divided, dominated by two antagonistic factions, the Pacific League and the Atlantic Alliance. Tensions are high and the smallest disturbance in the status quo could set the world on fire.

And a signal flickering through deep space could be just that spark.

As three young scientists form an alliance to decode the signal, they realise that the answers don't only lie in deep space, they also lie deep in humanity's past.

What they discover will change everything: our past, present and future.

If we have one.

"A fresh approach – emphasising Chinese history, and including scenes of martial artistry along with philosophical debates – adds extra zest to the popular idea of wise and helpful aliens in this entertaining adventure." - The Guardian

"An invigorating, jostling mix of hard science, adventure, Chinese philosophy and good old martial arts." - Daily Mail

"A twisty first-contact thriller...genuinely entertaining and inventive" - SFX

"Relentlessly charming... It is precisely its madcap range that makes it such a treat, its total lack of interest in distinctions between highbrow and lowbrow entertainment or between philosophy and mere fancy" - Washington Post

"The imagination and world-building is excellent and the debates about the choices and directions that human civilisation faces are interesting" - Birmingham SF Group

"A deeply philosophical and thought-provoking story of humankind’s search for its destiny in the cosmos." - Kirkus

"Amidst a classic space adventure, there are illuminating elements of the ways history can be corrupted by time, along with well-placed development of our heroes’ relationships." - Library Journal

"Hao’s patient worldbuilding and character-driven approach lends fresh life to the familiar first contact trope. Contact fans will be thrilled." - Publisher's Weekly

"It’s a gorgeous book, treading similar ground to The Three-Body Problem but with a jaunty, almost cheerful outlook… Jingfang melds scientific futurism with age-old mythology in the most satisfying of ways, suggesting that human history is not at all what we think and holding out the trembling hope, that maybe... just maybe... our future is one of peace" - Vulture

"[A] masterful narrative. Highly recommended for fans of Kim Stanley Robinson's Mars trilogy or readers who enjoy sf with a focus on social and political themes." - Booklist, starred review