Varied set of short stories, very imaginative and thought provoking.

A truly phenomenal collection of short stories that pushes the boundaries of speculative fiction: magical realism and sci-fi combine to create an uncanny reading experience. There is a reason, perhaps several, why Ted Chiang is held in such high esteem in the literary world, and it is a testament to his genius that each and every story feels exceptionally urgent, despite some of them being written over a decade ago! AI, the blurring of the boundaries between the digital and the 'real' worlds, augmented biology: Chiang has always been, and remains, miles ahead of the curve. Read, and watch this master of genres work. The first story, in particular, a sci-fi take on The Arabian Nights, is a delight.

I received a copy of this from the publisher, and it is rare that I'm so excited for a book; I've been looking forward to Ted Chiang's second collection ever since the publication of his first, Stories of Your Life, which included the basis of the film Arrival. Since then, Chiang's star has only shone brighter, and the level of skill on show in this collection is ever stronger... and the stories even more varied. Most of the stories have been published elsewhere before, including the two novellas that form the bulk of the collection; The Merchant and the Alchemist's Gate is a fascinating rumination on time travel and the paradoxes involved in it, with a structure akin to the Arabian Nights and a narrative approach that really works incredibly powerfully to show how fatalism and determinism can still tell an incredible story. The other novella, The Lifecycle of Software Objects, is the most heart-wrenching take on AI you'll ever read; a beautiful, moving story that looks at what creating a really intelligent artificial intelligence might actually involve. The two new stories to the collection are big idea stories of the kind Chiang is best known for. Omphalos suggests a very different universe, with proof of creation, and what that might mean for science and human knowledge; Chiang's take is sympathetic, and the epistolary structure of the story allows for certain things to build really effectively as it goes on. Anxiety Is The Dizziness of Freedom suffers a little from the way Chiang is eager to tell us the science he's drawing on, and at times feels a little disjointed, but builds to a magnificent climax and takes old ideas in new ways. The highlight of the collection, though, is the titular story, Exhalation. First published in a now out-of-print anthology from a defunct publisher, this story about entropy is one of the most moving and beautiful accounts of the meaning of human activity in the face of eternity, while told from a completely non-human point of view; an absolutely incredible story that works on a number of levels, and gets under the reader's skin. Buy this book: you won't read a better collection of stories this year.

This is my first introduction to Ted Chiang's writing. I was only familiar with the author after the adaptation of one of his short stories in to the science fiction hit Arrival (which I absolutely loved), so I was very excited to receive this book. Ted Chiang did not disappoint. Like all great science fiction novels, Chiang wrestles with fundamental questions of existence: What does it mean to be human? What is the nature of the universe? He also asks prescient questions for our current age: Where is technological advances leading us? I think it best to savour this book as each story is concise but deeply affecting, becoming more upon reflection. In this way, Ted Chiang reminds me of reading Borges, I have that same wonder for a mind so articulate, so engaging with story yet so profound and intelligent. I highly recommend reading this collection and I will be diving straight in to the first collection of Chiang's work, I only wish there was more!

This was my first foray into Ted Chiang's work, and now I can't stop telling everyone I know about him. Every story in this collection is fascinating, well thought-out, and so thought-provoking - they made my heart and my brain feel so full, and that is a really rare reaction to a book for me. As is often the case with short story collections, I liked some more than others, but overall would give the book 4.5 stars. My favourites included 'The Merchant and the Alchemist's Gate' (Arabian Nights with time travel); 'What's Expected of Us' (the world responds to a machine that proves a lack of free will); 'The Lifecycle of Software Objects' (tamagotchis to the max - the most human story, to me); 'The Truth of Fact, The Truth of Feeling' (how false memories echo through time); and 'Anxiety is the Dizziness of Freedom' (parallel worlds are created with a click of a button and can be consulted at will). Which, let's be honest, includes pretty much most of the stories! Even the ones I haven't mentioned are fascinating. I now can't wait to go back and read his first collection!