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Obsessed with this Chinese sci-fi novel right now. It's putting to words a lot of the unavoidable existential dread that we're all trying to ignore. I'm not usually a big fan of super hard sci-fi because I'm for the most part scientifically illiterate, but this book does such a good job of making physics poetic and kind of horrifying.
Sep 20, 2022
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I recently finished this amazing Chinese sci-fi novel. Itโs about a contemporary world in which scientists learn, through trial and error, that physics no longer exists (and may have never existed). I wonโt spoil too much, but it is being made into a Netflix series slated for release later this year.
Jun 23, 2023
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With the Netflix series coming out, I can't recommend the book trilogy enough.
It's the approachable sort of hard sci-fi that delves into complicated concepts without getting too deeply into the weeds. Everything is really well set up and explained, and like all the best trilogies, every book in the series gets better than the one that came before.
It was also written by a Chinese author (Cixin Liu) in the early 2000s, so it offers a unique perspective and gives you a glimpse into how someone from a country like China (the world's second largest economy, but with dramatically different economic/political processes and historical/cultural development than the US or Europe) views the realities of the present and the possibilities of the future (spoiler: its way more optimistic than a lot of Western authors... to an extent).
But most importantly, the series is full of some really interesting ideas and concepts, especially in regard to the Fermi Paradox. It makes you think, imagine, and philosophize, which is what I love about reading sci-fi. Anyway, it's definitely worth reading the series before having your idea of it tainted by the TV show, which will inevitably butcher certain aspects, and tarnish what your imagination could have dreamt up on its own.
Mar 24, 2024
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This trilogy is one of the most interesting and ambitious things Iโve ever read. The scale of the story consistently expands, and there is unique profundity to the concepts that the author introduces. It leaves you contemplating the depth of our place in the universe, and the philosophies upon which we entrust ourselves to evolve further into the unknown. It's going to be a Netflix series soon, so read it before it gets ruined by Corporate Money Goblins!
May 30, 2023
Top Recs from @colin-caulfield
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This book destroyed me. It's a reinterpretation of the myth of Circe, one of the OG witches in Greek mythology who was exiled to an island for eternity. She's a minor character in the Odyssey, but is given the lead role in this. Unbelievably poignant writing about life and death. Sobbed at the ending - it's a beautiful book.
Sep 20, 2022
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Shout out to my friend Kirby who is undoubtedly one of the most talented musicians I know. Creatively, he's had an amazing pandemic that started off with this really sparse and luxurious instrumental record. It's like ambient solo piano with expert synth and flute arrangements. The songs are so meditative and neutrally emotional in that magical way good ambient music is. 10/10 from me.
Sep 20, 2022
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My friends Sam and Amber design and run these clothing brands in LA and it's usually what I'm wearing. Huge cuts with big pockets and everything is comfortable. They also have a store called Cloud College on the east side that sells in house brands as well as local weirdo designers. It's something
Sep 20, 2022