Each of the fifteen stories in this collection is a jewel of fantastical storytelling, written by a man who not only knows how to convey complex and fascinating scientific and philosophical ideas but who is also able to transform those ideas, and use them to highlight the beauty and fragility of the human condition. It is a genuine work of art, a complete joy to read, and very very highly recommended

The Paper Menagerie is distinguished not only by its inventive imagination and emotional acuity – it has, as a whole, an impressive and cumulative coherence… The glittering wit on the surface of these pieces belies their righteous anger and profound melancholy… The finale is a revelation… It is a wrenching, ethically complex and deeply uncomfortable story, with the subtle balance of testimonies and arguments never compromising its horror’

Now and then along comes a writer who can create a mood so evocative the length of the tale has no bearing on how long you live with its cast, and linger, curled up, inside its bubble… Ken Liu is such a writer… By the end of this collection, you return, blinking, into the sharp light of the here and now, and mourn those few short days when you were floating in Liu, heady with the thrill of a life in which your senses were sparked up like phosphorescent antennae to the wonders of our existence on this “boat in space”‘

When he’s good, Liu is very very very good indeed

Liu’s imagery never ceases to impress; he combines interesting backdrops to accentuate a whole host of intricate reactions, making him a true master of emotion and authenticity… The Paper Menagerie will cement Liu as a once-in-a-lifetime author. Certainly his work is both stimulating and intoxicating and is the catalyst that sees contemporary Chinese fiction propelled to the forefront of sci-fi, 10/10′

Some of the stories are head-spinningly fantastic and almost surreal in their inventiveness

This captivating collection of award-winning short stories is full of wonder and magical realism

There is plenty of evidence here to justify Liu’s status as a new writer with great potential. This is the best book I have read so far this year. Highly recommended.

An exquisite collection of work. More layers of meaning await its readers who can’t fail to find something moving and intelligent in the writing of Ken Liu

Ken Liu isn’t just an entertaining and original author – though he is certainly that – he is an important one. Here is an author using his life experience, his talent and skill as an author and every genre and literary tradition at his disposal to make the case that we are humans and individuals before we are ethnic groups or nationalities, and that multiculturalism is our future.

A truly wonderful selection from a first-rate storyteller… an excellent volume; entertaining, questioning, with mind-stretching ideas and places’

The title story might break your heart a little. But that can never be such a bad thing. It’s beautiful

Glorious… The perfect anthology’