Exhalation

by Ted Chiang

‘One of the most exciting writers in science fiction . . . Although dark in premise, these parables – threaded through with references to ancient mythology and folklore – are filled with hope and humanism: a balm for anxious souls.’ – Daily Telegraph

From the acclaimed author of Stories of Your Life and Others – the basis for the Academy Award nominated film Arrival – comes a groundbreaking second collection of short fiction: nine stunningly original, provocative, and poignant stories. These are tales that tackle some of humanity’s oldest questions along with new quandaries that only Ted Chiang could imagine.

'A collection of short stories that will make you think, grapple with big questions, and feel more human. The best kind of science fiction' – Barack Obama

In ‘The Merchant and the Alchemist’s Gate’, a portal through time forces a fabric-seller in ancient Baghdad to grapple with past errors and the temptation of second chances. In the epistolary ‘Exhalation’, an alien scientist makes a shocking discovery with ramifications not just for his own people, but for all of reality. In ‘Anxiety is the Dizziness of Freedom’, the ability to glimpse into alternate universes necessitates a radically new examination of the concepts of choice and free will.

In Exhalation, Ted Chiang addresses the most fundamental of issues – What is the nature of the universe? What does it mean to be human? – alongside others that no one else has even imagined. And, each in its own way, the stories prove that complex and thoughtful science fiction can rise to new heights of beauty, meaning, and compassion.

‘Deeply beautiful stories . . . Each thoughtful, elegantly crafted story poses a philosophical question; Chiang curates all nine into a conversation that comes full circle, after having traversed remarkable terrain.’ – New York Times 'The 10 Best Books of 2019'

‘Chiang’s writing . . . inspires awe for the natural properties of the universe; it renders the fundamentals of science poignant and affecting.’ – Economist

‘A scintillating cavalcade of ideas . . . Chiang breathes new life into well-worn SF themes such as time travel, artificial intelligence and parallel universes.’ – Financial Times 'Books of the Year'

• ISBN10: 1529014492
• ISBN13: 9781529014495
• Publish Date: 23 July 2020 (first published 7 May 2019)
• Publish Status: Out of Print
• Out of Print: 2 October 2024
• Publish Country: GB
• Publisher: Pan Macmillan
• Imprint: Picador
• Format: Paperback (B-Format (198x129 mm))
• Pages: 368
• Language: English

Reviews

[pamela]

As always, Ted Chiang has written an excellent collection of short stories in Exhalation. He simplifies complex ideas in innovative ways, and really explores what it means to be alive, and how we exercise free will.

While some stories spoke to me more than others, and I felt like the novella-length stories could have benefited from the more in-depth worldbuilding and character development that would have come from being long-form novels, overall, the collection was truly excellent.

There is a reason that Ted Chiang is the poster-child for speculative fiction, and for anyone who likes to think about what they read, or expose themselves to new ideas and ways of thinking, Exhalation is an absolute must-read.

[mercurial]

4.5/5

[jamiereadthis]

This suffered big time because of Terra Ignota. I’m sorry, book. I really wanted to love you, but your pages felt lifeless next to the ideas contained there. Maybe we’ll meet again.

[empressbrooke]

Three stars is a very rough summary of how I felt overall about this collection. My feelings about the individual stories varied wildly. I lost steam at the title story and dragged it out for a few days, and the novella length The Lifecycle of Software Objects was very interesting in content and ideas, but didn't feel super engaging story-wise. The last two (which it seems have never been published before this collection) actually made me the most enthusiastic, especially the final one, "Anxiety is the Dizziness of Freedom."

[luddite]

Such an excellent collection of stories. Just so very good.

'The Truth of Fact, the Truth of Feeling' is my favourite, by far, for how the story dovetails with an anthropological description of writing. Reading 'Omphalos' during the holidays -- a story which revolves around the role of faith in science and research -- was illuminating and interesting. And the beauty of the redemption arc in 'Anxiety is the Dizziness of Freedom' was a perfect end to the series.

Highly recommended.