A collection of stories and essays from Cixin Liu, New York Times bestselling author of the Three-Body Problem Trilogy

'We’re mysterious aliens in the crowd. We jump like fleas from future to past and back again, and float like clouds of gas between nebulae; in a flash, we can reach the edge of the universe, or tunnel into a quark, or swim within a star-core... We’re as unassuming as fireflies, yet our numbers grow like grass in spring. We sci-fi fans are people from the future.' – Cixin Liu, from the essay 'Sci-Fi Fans' A View from the Stars features a range of short works from the past three decades of New York Times bestselling author Cixin Liu's prolific career, putting his nonfiction essays and short stories side-by-side for the first time. This collection includes essays and interviews that shed light on Liu's experiences as a reader, writer, and lover of science fiction throughout his life, as well as short fiction that gives glimpses into the evolution of his imaginative voice over the years.

"A true genius of the genre... leave[s] readers refreshingly excited not just about sf but about humanity’s future" - Booklist, STARRED REVIEW

"His stories are filled with a sense of wonder as they push ideas about the future of humanity to their extremes, and the personal essays offer a rare glimpse into attitudes towards science fiction in China and how the genre has changed. A fascinating collection." - Guardian

"Very reminiscent of Golden Age science fiction, and it’s great" - SF Crowsnest

"A vital collection. . . . down-to-earth, but unafraid to ask big questions" - Publishers Weekly

"A wonderful insight into the writer and the recent history of the science fiction genre in China... Liu has always been a talented writer but is also a deep thinker... A must read" - SF Book Reviews