I was very excited for this book, because Vagabonds by the same author is sitting on my tbr shelf at home highly anticipated. How exciting to read an arc of an author I'd wanted to try out!

Jumpnauts is a science fiction story about contact with aliens, but mostly following 4 people who are all connected by their pasts as they go on the journey to meet these aliens. I was really interested in the premise, and found the first few chapters where we met the inital three characters really fun and interesting but interest quickly waned after this point. The book is slow and spends a lot of time discussing philosophy and physics with no explanations attached.

Two charaters who meet and are immediately at odds with one another trade barbs back and forth in the form of quotes from their favourite philosphers, arguing about whose philopsphic teachings are better. I struggled to follow along, especially deeper into the book when I was trying to balance physics explanations as well. The physics were mostly name dropped with no explanation behind them. How can the blockchain change political outcomes? What was the plan with that? EP=EPR was name dropped with a one sentence explanation but moved on quickly like it wasn't a big deal, but I had to take a break to google to understand what was being discussed. These two elements took what could have been a slower, more thought experiment style, science fiction book and made it hard to read and unenjoyable.

I don't doubt for a second that this book has its audience, because despite my struggles there were many points I was enjoying it. But I think this audience would have a better knowledge of philosophy and physics to glide smoothly through the pages. And I hope it finds its audience so it can be adapted to a movie which will hand hold me through so I can enjoy it as well.

Jumpnauts is a first-contact science fiction novel, part of the Folding Universe series, written by the Chinese author Hao Jingfang, and which has been published in English translated by Ken Liu, and published by Head of Zeus. A novel which blends Chinese culture and philosophy with science fiction, weaving a thrilling story that is surprising at many points, and which makes an original use of the alien-helping humanity premise.

In a relative near-future, the Earth is dominated by two superpowers, the Pacific League and the Atlantic Alliance, which have been at the border of war for 20 years; in this context, a succession of seemingly random events will put together a group formed by the archeologist Yun Fan, military researcher Qi Fei and astronomer Jiang Liu to determine the origin of the signals that appear to have been sent by an extraterrestrial object that is closing to the Earth.
After a series of adventures and a first part that centers more around the conflict between Jiang Liu and Qi Fei for Yun Fan's heart (including really neat combat scenes between both men), our group ventures into the space with the part pilot, part chef Chiang Tian; ready for that contact with the alien, and which will take them on a journey of discovery and learning, not only about themselves but about the whole humanity.

The characters are interesting, especially the clash of opposite ideas that is portrayed through the confrontation of Jiang Liu and Qi Fei; and Yun Fan is a good representation of the mission over the individual. They don't progress much through the novel, but that's a choice taken by the author, creating characters that are already at the top of their careers, put in front of a species that makes them look like kids.

It is refreshing to read a science fiction novel that is not set in the Occidental word, but that rather prefers to explore Chinese tradition and philosophy, putting the focus mostly on Confucianism. Ken Liu has done an amazing job of translating it without losing the original nuances, keeping the text as close as possible to the Chinese version, and trusting the readers to get the meaning enclosed in this novel.

While I have certain problems with the pacing of the first part, definitely the second half of the book has redeeming qualities, proving worth the whole read; if you are in the search for a different first contact novel, Jumpnauts it is, with a blend of Chinese culture and sci-fi that makes it a really enjoyable read.

I've been looking to read more science fiction lately. Something a little less dystopian and more aliens fighting in space. I put Jumpnauts on my 'New Books I’m Excited to Read in 2024' list as it really jumped out to me as exactly what I was looking for. I also want to explore more translated fiction so this ticked both boxes.

The best bit of any book featuring aliens is finding out what they look like. In Andy Weir's Project Hail Mary, the alien life form was like some sort of spider made out of rock (hence he was named Rocky) who could only communicate through song. The aliens in Jumpnauts look like a Chinese mythological creature, but I won't tell you which one!

One thing I wasn't aware of before reading it is just how much the story would revolve around Chinese history, philosophy and mythology. The Simon & Schuster cover I had seen didn't really convey how Chinese the novel would be whereas the other one by Head of Zeus does.

I've never read a science fiction novel that centred so much on one particular culture. It made for a unique science fiction reading experience. Usually it's several different nations fighting each other to get to the aliens first.

The three main characters are well educated in Chinese philosophy and discuss it all the way through the novel. Jumpnauts begins as a science fiction story and ends as a philosophy dialogue. I like some philosophical fiction, but I wanted more of the high-tech space adventures.

The main characters also have a remarkable sense of self awareness that is very rare, in both fiction and the real world. Whenever they got into conflict with each other, they were able to understand exactly why it had happened and how to resolve it. Even Jiang Liu, who is the most childish out of them all, seemed to know his faults but was accepting of them. This was refreshing as I can't stand reading conflicts based on a lack of emotional awareness or miscommunication.

Some illustrations would have been nice to refer to, even just black and white ones but I suppose I can just google things. Hopefully they might include some for the next books in the Folding Universe series.

I give Jumpnauts 4 stars.

"Jumpnauts" by Hao Jingfang offers a fascinating exploration of space, time, and the essence of human connectivity. Jingfang intricately weaves complex scientific theories with deeply personal narratives, creating a tapestry of stories that challenge our understanding of the universe and our place within it. The narrative is rich with philosophical questions and emotional depth, making it not just a sci-fi adventure but a profound journey into the human psyche. Her writing is both elegant and accessible, striking a balance between the technical and the poetic. "Jumpnauts" captivates from the first page, inviting readers into a meticulously crafted world that's as intellectually stimulating as it is emotionally resonant. This novel is a testament to Hao Jingfang's masterful storytelling and her ability to envision the future with both imagination and insight.

Jumpnauts is set in near future where a war has split the world into two factions. In the middle of this, a signal from space is detected that’s fast-approaching earth. Three young Chinese, two men and a woman, with their own interests in the matter decide to investigate.

I was looking for a modern sci-fi with a fresh take from a new, non-western perspective. This wasn’t that book. The premise is tired and went out of fashion with von Däniken in the 70s. The idea that humanity is too stupid to evolve without outside help would require a truly innovative take to make it work. This wasn’t it. Not even our imagination is our own, and the icons of Chinese culture like the dragon (loong) are just reflections of alien cultures. The book doesn’t even ask what made those aliens so much better that they can evolve, but humans can’t? Moreover, they haven’t even evolved beyond wars.

The three main characters, Jiang Liu, Yun Fan and Qi Fei, were really annoying with absolutely nothing to redeem themselves. The reader never gets a proper reading of them. They’re emotionless (like absolutely zero emotional response to anything, be it space, aliens or a scolding mother) and don’t have any inner monologues that would explain their actions and reactions. For the first third, we’re stuck with some sort of triangle drama that doesn’t even exist. Yun Fan said no, and the two men weren’t even truly interested in her. They just needed a reason for constant cockfighting.

The story doesn’t really pick up when the three finally manage to get to space to meet the aliens. The past is rehashed again, and then the story pauses for a philosophising of the garden variety. Everything ends with a kumbaya moment where all the humanity’s differences are put aside for a chance for space exploration.

But above all, the book is boring. The narrative has no driving force from the inside. The characters react to outside prompts and are pushed by them through the story. Not once do they rise above themselves or evolve (and no, the mind-reading ability doesn’t count.) In the end, the reader is left empty.

Learning from the author’s bio that she’s a physicist and economist explains a lot about her attitude to humans as an afterthought and passengers in their own story—and why Yun Fan would be such a bad archaeologist. But the author is not much of a physicist either. I’m all for innovative take in science when it comes to fiction; it doesn’t have to be based in real world science. But it has to be consistent within the book. Here, it’s best seen like cultivation magic in Chinese webnovel xianxias. Whatever suits the narrative at any given moment.

The writing is only marginally better than in xianxias too (and I’ve given five stars for far messier of those), and the translation by Ken Liu can do only so much with the childish narrative. I’ll stick with xianxias with their jumpy narrative and bad translations. At least there’s emotional reward in those.

It's release day for this book and I have to concede it simply is not for me. In theory, it should have been: futuristic setting, imaginative delving into Chinese culture, ancient alien civilization. All the ingredients I love. But perhaps I got lost in translation. The writing seems to pale the characters so much, and frankly one of the main characters is too much of the classic good playboy trope for me to take any interest in his viewpoint. Characters seem surface-level. I did enjoy the way Chinese history and myth is explored and crave more Chinese sci-fi in my life. This one just wasn't for me.

Hao Jingfang’s first contact narrative is crafted from an expert blend of science, Chinese history, mythology and philosophy. At its heart’s an inventive exploration of issues that’ve surfaced across her writing: from social inequality to the very nature and purpose of human existence. Hao Jingfang’s ambitious story’s set in the not-too-distant future, Earth is dominated by two powers the Pacific League and the Atlantic Alliance. Urban centres are overseen by AI, space travel’s accessible, everyday tech has advanced by leaps and bounds yet poverty’s rife and the two controlling factions have been in a state of near-continuous war for over 20 years. A succession of seemingly random, perhaps fated, events bring together archaeologist Yun Fan, astronomer Jiang Liu and military researcher Qi Fei who unite to trace the source of signals that may signify a nearby extraterrestrial vessel. After a nail-biting series of misadventures, the trio leave their base in China and venture into space along with laidback, pilot-turned-chef Chiang Tian.

Despite initial competition between Jiang Liu and Qi Fei for Yun Fan’s attention, Hao Jingfang isn’t setting the scene for romance here. She’s far more intent on the possibilities for a meeting of the minds between people whose beliefs appear totally incompatible. Hao Jingfang cleverly exploits Qi Fei and Jiang Liu’s rivalry to open up a dialogue with aspects of Chinese philosophy and with other SF writers. Like Yun Fan, Jiang Liu’s intrigued by the opportunities an encounter with an alien species might provide. But Qi Fei’s feelings echo Liu Cixin’s dark forest hypothesis - central to his “Three-body” series. For Qi Fei alien lifeforms are inevitably hostile, enemies lurking in the shadows waiting to pounce. For Qi Fei the only good alien is a dead alien, thinking that’s partly guided by his army training and partly by his personal take on Chinese belief systems including Confucianism. In many ways Jiang Liu appears Qi Fei’s opposite, he’s fascinated by Mohism, moral teachings that emphasize selflessness and mutual respect. This connects to a traumatic past experience which Jiang Liu introduces via Ursula K. Le Guin’s famous “The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas.”

Hao Jingfang's examination of Jiang Liu and Qi Fei’s clashing ideals overshadow the middle sections of her novel, sandwiched between more action-packed sequences. Admittedly there were times when I found their discussions a little dry and overly didactic but I thought they were worth sticking with, ultimately informative and surprisingly thought-provoking. They also introduce key elements of Hao Jingfang’s worldbuilding – this is the first in an ongoing series.

Hao Jingfang considers details the lifeblood of fiction, and there were so many pleasing ones here. It’s hard to talk about Hao Jingfang’s story without giving too much away but I loved Yun Fan’s notion that approaching aliens were connected to the development of Chinese civilisation and the way that played out as the plot unfolded. I relished the SF references from Liu Cixin to a hint of Solaris. I thought Jumpnauts was slightly uneven and the ending felt a bit rushed. But I liked its overall optimism, in SF terms it’s closer in spirit to the utopianism of early Star Trek TNG than it is more dystopian visions. I’m looking forward to the next instalment. Translated by Ken Liu.

Jumpnauts is a very philosophical and contemplative take on a first contact scenario set 60 years in the future. As tensions are ready to boil over in a new Cold War scenario between the Pacific League and the Atlantic Alliance, a spaceship of extraterrestrial origin is detected entering the solar system and heading for Earth.

I’ll be totally honest - this novel didn’t really work for me at all, and I found the execution to be quite weak. There are several factors that brought this book down for me personally, the major one being the rushed and patchy worldbuilding that completely removed any of the stakes of the novel. Our protagonists all hail from the Pacific League side of the war, but lack of information historically or politically about either side meant I was struggling to grasp the significance of any action either side took. The technology level of the world was also quite hard to grasp, as the civilization seems more advanced than I’d have expected for a novel taking place even in 2080; if the characters can simply jump into a flying car to escape a dangerous situation for example, then I find myself not worrying about them in future ‘life or death’ situations. The lead characters all had their own established backgrounds and voices, but somehow having their voices blended together in the second half of the novel, to the extent that many of their lines could have been interchanged without me noticing.

There were positives in the novel, but I’ll have to talk vaguely about them to avoid spoilers! The first contact scenario culminates in a fantastic deconstruction of what civilization means and how intelligent species can progress. Truth be told, I’ve never come across a novel with such a comprehensive way of comparing different races from a technology standpoint.

If you like your Sci-Fi to explore big ideas with less focus on action scenes, I still recommend you give Jumpnauts a read, as its exploration of ideas was really interesting. I think I’d have enjoyed this book a lot more with a longer and wider build-up of the world before the plot kicks into gear. A big thankyou to the publisher and to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Hao Jingfang's 'Jumpnauts,' translated by Ken Liu, is a sci-fi first contact novel set in 2080, where the world is divided between two major factions: The Pacific League of Nations and The Atlantic Division of Nations. Amid their ongoing power struggle, the detection of a potentially alien spacecraft entering the solar system prompts our three main characters, entangled in a love triangle of sorts, to launch a mission. Their goal is to intercept the spacecraft, unravel its mystery, and possibly make first contact.

The book weaves together, at times, fantastical science and heavily draws on Chinese philosophy, which I didn't have a great understanding of before reading the novel. It was only as I reached the last chapter that I realized it serves as the first part of the ongoing "Folding Universe" series, setting up the world and characters. Some story threads are intentionally left open for future volumes, and I look forward to seeing where the series leads.

Overall, I give 'Jumpnauts' 3 stars.

My second 5 stars this year, after “The Tainted Cup”.
I loved this book from the bottom of my heart: I have 28 highlights (I normally have 2 or 3 per book) , I’ve looked up countless words and facts ( my knowledge of China’s history and classics has tremendously benefitted from this book and the research I put into it) and I thoroughly approve Ken Liu’s approach to translation choices (if the betrayal is to great, just keep it in original - nowadays people have all tools needed to figure it out).
Said this, this is clearly a book that I would only recommend to people that are either interested in learning more (including additional sources) about many facets of China (history, philosophy. Classical literature, language, customs, societal rules and rituals) or are already familiar enough with the above mentioned topics to enjoy this work - if you don’t, it will most likely read as a fun, peculiar story with some perhaps confusing dialogs - while probably still ok, you will have missed the entire reason why I loved this book so much.
By working in tech, most of the concepts (AI, Blockchain, etc) were not new to me, but I was pleased to see the author remained grounded with her take on where this tech could realistically be in the future.
To me though, the most entertaining part has been the association between tech, personality traits and classical Chinese philosophy, the way Jingfang Hao ties all of this together is simply exceptional.
I heard this is the first book of 6 - I truly hope to see the rest published, and (still) translated by Ken Liu.

Jumpnauts
Hao Jingfang
translator not credited

This was an Advanced Reader Copy pre-proof from Netgalley on behalf of Head of Zeus.

I bounced off this book hard at first, I think I was expecting a novel at the level of the "Three Body Problem" whereas this comes across more as a young adult action adventure.

Translation notes get in way of what is essentially a YA novel. Ditto footnotes. It's better as an afterword than a foreword IMHO.

Text lacks fluidity, and is overly repetitive - short declarative objective statements. Sometimes three sentences loop around the same noun:

"Ding".. I know the translator wants us to learn words, but this is just not a familiar word, so why not say "a bronze ding, or cauldron, .." the first time it is mentioned?

Very good action description, excellent fight detailing.

Can imagine it as a TV show.

Utterly unoriginal.

Classically not really future SF in that it's meant to be set in 2160 and yet clearly is set thirty years from now but with some extrapolation and a few gadgets. GeoPolitical situation is exactly the same as now but has broken out into a continuous but background conflict between the Pacific League and the Atlantic Alliance.

All politics is addressed into quoting matches from Classical Chinese political philosophers. At first this seems classic only but some of the discussions turn Hegelian/Marxist. HOWEVER no single political point is adopted, rather debated. At times this gets laboured, but it becomes important to the conclusion which is simplistic, childish and frankly
leaves loose ends.

On reflection it is a teenage adventure tale that could just as easily have been set in a legendary setting. Science is really gadgets which could just as easily be magic items.

Ironically it's simplicity, gadgets, and objective description would make it very easy to make a game of.

6/10 but for kids? Maybe 7/10.

2.5/5

Interesting ideas about the future, with a generous serve of philosophy and a fabulous translation, but the actual story itself leaves a bit to be desired.

First the positives. Hao Jingfang's future world, while only lightly sketched, has a fascinating set of future technological advances. That plus the emergence of an intriguing signal and spaceship creates a sense of wonder (at least for a while). I also really appreciated that this book wanted to give the reader some ideas about how society can, or should, work.

This was my first experience with a SF story first written in Mandarin. It was fascinating to see - at least in this piece of work - how the relative *focus* of the detail (on the mechanics of the plot, perhaps, more than the setting) differs from much modern English-native SF. The ideas, and family dynamics between the characters, are also interesting when you bear the author's background in mind. I feel as though I learned a great deal.

Sadly though, as a story, I didn't find this very convincing or successful. There were attempts at character growth and the inner lives of the characters, but it all felt ... very simplistic and not realistic. Put simply, the characters didn't feel like *people*. Some of the plot elements felt needlessly "pumped up" as a proxy for tension. There were also numerous plot-focused info-dumps that ... made the story drag and felt like the author was telling us about the world more than they were telling us a believable story. it probably didn't help that the plot was ... a bit hard to believe, and there were occasional inconsistencies and factual issues (like how the speed of light works...) that proved distracting.

While I wouldn't read this again, and would hesitate before recommending it, given the positives and the uniqueness of the story I'm nonetheless glad I read this work. Thank you to Hao Jingfang, Head of Zeus, Ad Astra and Netgalley for an advance review copy, provided in return for an honest review.

In 2080, the world is divided into two political factions, eager for war. Jiang Liu started a blockchain for anonymously sharing intel and is avoiding his rich and powerful father, who wants his system for his own reasons. Qi Fei is a researcher at a military institute run by the Pacific League. Yun Fan is an archaeologist stationed at the mausoleum of the First Emperor, carrying on her late father’s work. There a signal is detected, a signal from space. The three scientists, eager to prove the existence of aliens, head into space to discover its source.

First of all I’m always happy to see more science fiction translations being picked up by UK publishers, I don’t think we have anywhere near enough. Ken Liu’s note on the translation was interesting and explained his decisions. I respect his choice to not make Jumpnauts come across as too western.

I recently read Michael Scott’s X Marks the Spot and so was primed on the basics of Qin Shi Huang’s mausoleum going in. I liked the concept (a bit like Stargate) that the impressive achievements of ancient civilisations are maybe a bit too impressive and therefore aliens must have been involved.

The cover is awesome, and I was all prepped for dragons in space. Well, there is a qilin in space, and the UK cover feels a bit more reflective of the story than the US one. Chinese tradition and science, intertwined into one story.

However, after an initial intriguing start, the info-dumping of future technology in conversations started. And the book discusses a lot of Chinese philosophy (Confucianism I believe). If you like both philosophy and science fiction, this might be up your street.

Huhu was a fun character, who had a bit more life than the others. I think the characters were all supposed to be very private people, who were happy by themselves. I can normally relate to these types of characters but they all felt very distant and I just didn’t click. The two men awkwardly hit on Yun Fan several times and was unnecessary. Them being such independent souls adds more meaning to the ending though.

There are plenty of ideas in this story, democratisation of intelligence sharing, use of blockchain for things other than currency, the next stage of human evolution, rewarding the intelligent over the powerful, and the country’s relationship with its ancient culture.

But I glazed over far too many times to say I particularly enjoyed this book. I think it just was not for me.

No sabía muy bien qué me iba a encontrar al leer Jumpnauts, ya que Vagabonds me pareció interesante, pero no tengo mucho recuerdo de Folding Beijing. Aunque la traducción de Ken Liu es siempre un garante de calidad, he de decir que la novela no me ha convencido para nada.


El principal problema que le encuentro son los personajes, ya que el trío protagonista tiene un comportamiento infantilizado que le resta muchos kilates a la novela. Estoy dispuesta a aceptar el punto de partida que especula sobre las constantes visitas alienígenas a nuestro planeta coincidentes con espectaculares avances tecnológicos, aunque se me venía a la cabeza cada dos por tres el meme de: “no estoy diciendo que fueran los aliens, pero fueron los aliens”. Pero no paso por los diálogos y las actitudes chulescas de pavo real de los dos protagonistas masculinos enfrentados supuestamente por las atenciones de Yun Fan, a la que sinceramente veo más como un objetivo que alcanzar que como un ser humano real. El resto del elenco parecen de cartón piedra, colocados como parte del atrezzo preparado para dar la réplica necesaria para el lucimiento personal de trío protagonista.

En el aspecto especulativo, me gusta la exposición de varias tendencias de la filosofía oriental, excelentemente explicadas en las notas a pie de página del traductor, que guía al lector sin necesidad de inundarlo de información. Otra cosa muy curiosa es el despliegue tecnológico en la Tierra, con algunas escenas que parecen sacadas de una peli moderna de James Bond. Sin embargo, cuando comenzamos a conocer la tecnología alienígena, se basa más en las interrelaciones personales y el poder mental que en otra cosa, resultando un poco decepcionante.

El mensaje de la novela pretende ser inspirador, confiando en la capacidad del ser humano para superar las diferencias conociéndose mutuamente, incluso para formar alianzas con otras civilizaciones. Es solo que me parece apático e impuesto, algo que no me gusta encontrar en una novela especulativa.

This was a DNF, at 27%, mainly because I look for better science in my science fiction, but also because as a story it just wasn't doing much for me.

By wanting better science I mean not only the ridiculous ancient-aliens pseudoarcheology (though certainly that), but the fundamental lack of understanding of a very basic astronomical concept: the light year. Early on, an object is detected which has gone from 300 light years away to 89 light years away over a period of "a few months," but is said to be travelling "almost at the speed of light". Now, the very definition of a light year is that it's the distance light (or something travelling at the speed of light) takes to travel <i>in a year</i>, so if the object was moving at almost the speed of light it would have taken over 200 years, not just "a few months," to travel that distance.

I could probably have forgiven that, and given the ancient-aliens nonsense a trope pass, if the story had engaged me, but it didn't. Though it's supposed to be about first contact, early on it's mostly a love triangle between an archeologist (who believes in ancient aliens, and has very little personality), an alienated playboy astronomer from a wealthy family (who fills the void inside him with booze and sex), and a senior, yet remarkably hands-on, government agent with very little personality (who is engaged to his boss's daughter, a perfectly lovely woman who deserves better than to be sidelined in favour of the archeologist; but then, she probably deserves better than this guy anyway). My personal quirk is that I need to like the people involved in a romance if I'm going to care about it, and in this case I didn't.

I received an advance copy from Netgalley for review.

Jumpnauts is epic! A glorious mix of sci-fi and fantasy (If you have ever watched chinese films, it's has vibes of The Wandering earth in that it mixes high tech with traditional Chinese sensibilities , philosophy and folklore, incredible, but I digress)

The character development throughout was very well done and I really enjoyed the different personalities and dynamics between them. The translation was incredibly well done and I will happily buy the ppb in Mandarin as I feel as the translation is so good, the kindle can be equally as enjoyable as the ppb. My favourite character had to be Yun Fan as I feel that she stood out from the antics of Qi Fei and Jiang Liu

Jumpnauts is set in 2080 and can therefore also be as easily included in speculative fiction, especially with the current global affairs we are experiencing. The pace mathces the narrative very well and it is a book that is not easy to put down, so I didn't. Sleep? What sleep?

Jumpnauts is the best Science Fiction I have read in a long time and the beauty of it is, that it is not your common or garden pew pew (which has its place, absolutely) but as first encounters and global conflicts go, the narrative is unique, fresh and insightful

Absolutely going into my best books of 2024 and we are not even out of January! Glorious! this book is due to be published on March and I would absolutely recommend it

Thank you very much to Netgalley and the publisher for this truly mindblowing eArc, it was greatly appreciated and enjoyed immensely. My review is left of my own volition