Meet the authors

The rising stars of China's science-fiction scene are far from the author stereotypes. They are internationally minded, highly intelligent young men and women in white-collar jobs.

[Photo provided to China Daily]

Liu Cixin, born in 1963

Liu Cixin is a graduate of the North China Institute of Water Power and Hydroelectric Engineering. He previously worked as a computer-hardware engineer at China Power Investment Corp.

His most popular book, The Three-Body Problem, won the Hugo Award for Best Novel in 2015－a first for a translated work－and the 2017 Locus Award for Best Science Fiction Novel. Liu is known to his fans and friends as "Da Liu"－an affectionate nickname meaning "Liu the Elder" to distinguish him from the American-Chinese writer Ken Liu.

[Photo provided to China Daily]

Ken Liu, born in 1976

Ken Liu emigrated to California with his family at age 11. The Harvard Law School graduate was working as a lawyer when his first short story was published.

Since then, he has written more than 120 short stories, winning multiple Hugo, Nebula and World Fantasy awards.

Ken has also played a key role in bringing Chinese science fiction to the world. He translated the first and third books of Liu Cixin's blockbuster Three-Body trilogy.