Books translated into Spanish by Ken Liu.
The last 4 of October showed up at the bookstore Gigamesh of Barcelona the edition in Spanish of the book “The grace of the kings”, First novel of the trilogy of the «Lion dynasty”Written by one of the best fiction writers of the moment, Ken Liu. Act in which the writer himself explained to the attendees his impressions around the development of a work of these magnitudes.
A luxurious opportunity to meet Ken Liu and his latest work. Fortunately, Actualidad Literatura was invited to this event. An opportunity that we could not miss and that allowed us to analyze, first hand, the ins and outs present in this "pharaonic" creation and its creator.
Anyway, before getting down to work with the novel and its creator, we would like to describe a little where the presentation was made and the reason for choosing this space. In this way, The event took place in the best science fiction and fantasy genre bookstore in Barcelona.
Gigamesh es, therefore, the perfect place to meet an author and a novel of this nature. You will understand, therefore, the necessary mention of it and allow us the license to recommend this fantastic establishment to you whether you are fans of the genre or not. The survival of establishments specialized in our passion, literature, depends on us readers.
After this, it is important to talk a bit about the writer since it is possible that many of our readers, not so familiar with the fantasy world or science fiction, do not know him or have never read any of his works.
Well, Ken Liu was born in China and immigrated to the United States at the age of 11. He studied computer programming and law, something that, as we will see later, is also reflected in "The Grace of the Kings."
His eastern origins and his life in the West have undoubtedly marked his literary personality, thus making him a different and exotic writer.. His fame as an author, everything be said, resides in his short stories. Stories that led him to make a name in the complicated world of literature. Receiving, therefore, several international awards among which the Hugo, the Nebula and the World Fantasy stand out.
Photograph by Ken Liu.
With more than 100 published short stories, Ken Liu decided to undertake a new project with more complex characteristics. A novel in the form of a great saga. Very far removed, therefore, from the short and individual stories with which he was familiar and which have made him so successful.
This, according to the writer, was a great effort since he had to maintain the tension and interest of the readers in a long and lengthy narrative. Something that, as he rightly states, he got thanks, precisely, to these little stories. The saga of Dlion with this first book The grace of kings, appears to us in this way as a fractional novel in which many aspects, chapters and situations keep the reader awake. Influence of course from Ken Liu's earlier narrative style.
On the other hand, in the presentation a key term was named to define the novel. There was talk of "hybridization." «Hybridization» as a phenomenon of conjunction of different aspects in the same work. Ken Liu brings us a fantastic world in which the union of Chinese and classical mythologies in a single uniform entity is undeniably evidenced.
At the same time, the fact that the novel is on the horse of science fiction and fantasy, makes that, at the same time, modernity and classicism come together. Therefore, a new and refreshing reality that we are not used to and that will surely allow the reader to get involved in a very special way with the plot. of the novel.
Map of Dara, the archipelago created by Ken Liu.
Ken liu wanted to show his passion for technology and that is why he has created a fantastic world in which, as happened in ancient China, engineers are magicians capable of making or creating incredible contraptions. Physically and technologically credible aircraft and war machines appear in this universe of his own invention. Machines designed conscientiously by himself and that implicitly show us the complicity of the author in relation to his work.
Such is the magnitude of the plot that Ken liu himself affirmed yesterday that developed, while writing the novel, a kind of "Wikipedia”To be able to keep track of everything he was creating and thus make things easier when continuing with the saga. Statement that surprised the audience, increasing, even more if possible, everyone's fascination for the writer of Asian origin.
In this work the writer affirms that he has wanted to talk about politics, law and the power struggle. A fantastic epic where concepts of revolution and class struggle are reflected. A large chess board where the pieces move independently but with common sense.
A wonderful reflection of the history of humanity and its dualism between ruling class and led class. Your intention, in this way, it has been at all times to make the plot flow in constant changes, twists and turns. Fighting like this, against the static and immovable. Aspect that Ken liu believes essential to achieve the fascination of the reader in his work.
After all this we can only indicate that, from Actualidad Literatura, We are very proud to have been able to know directly the impressions of one of the referents of this genre. At the same time, we recommend that all our readers immerse themselves in the work of Ken Liu and marvel, as we have done, at a capital mind capable of creating, as if it were a magician, a universe completely from scratch.
If you wish, you can see the recording of the presentation on the Youtube of the Gigamesh library.