Status Updates From Sostener el cielo

The Thinker: 3/5

A strong story to end the short story collection. I do like the idea of two people with an unbreakable bond, meeting everytime they were to see a star twinkle. It feels almost like the superstring theory, but in the more simplistic version of two particles feeling and moving the same way. I do think the dialogue could have been better. Still, it’s a beautiful story!

Cloud of Poems: 4/5

“Is the soul and essence of intelligent life truly untouchable by technology?”

This one felt a bit like Cixin taking a tab before writing it and tbh I love it. Some parts were kinda hard to imagine but other than that I really enjoyed the conversations between Yi Yi, Li Bai, and the sphere. Bigtooth is such a random concept of an omnipotent dinosaur. A beautiful story on art preservation.

Sea of Dreams: 4/5

"At first, I thought I'd run into a real artist but, as it turns out, you're a mediocre, pitiful creature who chatters about the oceans dying, ecological collapse, and other inconsequential things that have nothing to do with art."

A beautiful short story about oceans being made into blocks of ice for the sake of art and how it affects humanity to lose the most basic need, for art.

Full Spectrum Barrage Jamming: 1.5/5

"And someone who truly understood the innate beauty of space and nature would never go to war."

I couldn't really enjoy this story because I just couldn't understand the things that were going on. I understand that Cixin was inspired by Russia literature but world-building in Russia in a sci fi Chinese collection kinda threw me off. Some parts with Misha were cool but eh, still.

Ode to Joy: 3.5/5

-.5 points because there’s no way presidents, especially the US president, would be smart enough to understand physics and the significance of a giant mirror facing Earth.

Mirror: 4/5

“Culture stagnates first, because human nature is now pure as water, and there is nothing left to depict and express.”

I was lowkey hating on this short story at first, but the build up to the end was actually worth it. A commentary on surveillance but I really like the take on it because it talks about the implication on humanity as a whole. The last last part of the story was quite unnerving.

Contraction: 3.5/5

Kind of one of Cixin’s gotcha moments, but the dialogue is really funny.

Fire In The Earth: 3/5

"People really were stupid in the past, and they really had a tough time."

Interesting commentary on companies who prioritize capitalism gain over the ecosystem. It was interesting too to show the side of miners who were about to lose their jobs, and then getting a first perspective 120 years later of a child taking a field trip through the mines. It was definitely kind of a terrifying story.

2018-04-01: 3.5/5

It was a funny story. Hb rlly made an elaborate April Fools prank to make dude think he was losing his stolen money. And dude was deadass ready to commit to his girl (after thoughts of dumping her for longevity of life), til she dumped him for hibernation!

Cixin really knows how to play with different sci fi themes. It’s a common theme in his stories but it still feels fresh everytime.

“If I leave her, what would be the point in living even two thousand years?”

Dudes be like Yo but that immortality doe 🤣🤣🤣

The Time Migration: 5/5

“How could there be nothing left?”
“There’s nothing left they wanted to say.”

It took 11 thousand years for humanity to restart. I have so much thoughts on this i’ll probably make a substack article about this short story.

The Village Teacher: 4/5

“They’re called ‘teachers’.”
“Tea—cher?”
“An ancient word that was once in a currency among a few long-lost civilizations.”

Genuinely a beautiful story. I’m being reminded again of why I was awed by Cixin’s story since Three Body Problem. His ability to remember the beauty of humanity by introducing space entities is just wonderful.

Going back to Cixin Liu's writing is such an experience. The second story felt like reading abou Buddhist philosophy

Perturbaciones de Barrera en todas las frecuencias

Esta fue la historia que más me costó leer por que al principio no entendía hacía dónde iba, pero ya cuando explicaron el concepto de apagar las comunicaciones de todos como in recurso me agarro el interés, pese a eso siento que fue la historia más flojita.

Himno a la alegría

Me gustó mucho y a la vez lo encontré utópico el hecho de que todos los líderes mundiales fueran inteligentes y competentes en varias áreas de la ciencia y el arte.