Vagabonds

This is the first sci-Fi novel I have read in a while with decent introspection, character development, and thoughtfulness. At times, it is too contemplative and pedantic; too introspective without enough dialogue. Much of the contemplation would have been less tedious and better wrought as dialogue. Still, an enjoyable and calming read which makes you thing about one’s own state of mind and society’s state of being.

Welcome to the dream world that is Vagabonds!The translation creates a prose poem that lasts through hundreds of pages. In the beginning, the Earth colonized Mars. Next, came the civil wars breaking the two worlds into separate societies. Finally, came peace activities including delegations from each world visiting the other.This is the story of the return of the fifty-member Mars delegation to its home planet five years after leaving it. In particular, the story of one girl, Luoying, who has trouble readjusting to Mars political climate after experiencing the radically different politics of Earth. It is also the story of Eko Lu, a documentarian with the fifty-member delegation from Earth to Mars. He decides to document Luoying, who is the only granddaughter of the Mars’ dictator.It is obvious from the beginning that Mars is China and Earth is the West. Mars is a communist dictatorship with strict rules for blending in. Earth is capitalist and full of sometimes conflicting nation-states. Both have their pros and cons. But the cons can only be seen from faraway. So only once Luoying and Eko left their own worlds could they see the full truth.While there is definitely some world-building here, the main focus is philosophical. What’s amazing is this book was written by a Chinese woman who works for the Chinese government. It does not present the Chinese-like Mars community as always right and the Western-like Earth as always wrong. It is much more nuanced that a pure white hat-black hat viewpoint.If you want to read a more languid and philosophical type of science fiction, please read Vagabonds. You won’t be disappointed. 4 stars!Thanks to Saga Press, Gallery Books and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for my honest review.

Vagabonds is a Chinese sci-fi novel by Hao Jingfang and translated by Ken Liu. At 640 pages, this is one of the longer books I’ve read and quite a time sink. I can readily recommend this title to fans of more literary sci-fi and serious, sophisticated prose that has the characters examining the world around them in introspective ways. A lot of effort is put toward world-building right down to the nitty-gritty details of technology, political systems, and the culture of not only Earth in 2096 but also a highly developed Mars. The two are at odds, with a history of war and existing tensions.The story follows multiple young people who have traveled between the planets and can be considered vagabonds- adrift between two worlds, experiencing complex feelings for both and belonging to neither. Just wandering in a strange space between. During its most shining moments of prose, Vagabonds does well in capturing that sort of journey.The main character of focus is Luo Ying, a young dancer whose grandfather presides over Mars. Her parents died under mysterious circumstances. Across the span of her journey she seeks to find out more about them and also process her thoughts on Mars versus Earth. Is Mars really headed in an ideal direction, or are the differing ideals she observed on Earth more likely to lead to justice and freedom? Black and white thinking is not abound in Vagabonds, both worlds are gradually revealed and treated with a nuance view. I was impressed by the combination of imaginative technologies and allegorical modern issues which could convincingly persist so many years in the future.But there were many rambling chapters with intensive world building that was more demanding and info-dumpy than immersive. This is a quiet, elegantly-written book that consistently ponders instead of taking action. The plot moves slowly and while most questions are answered by the end, it did seem like little was accomplished after such a massive page count.I also found the characters lacking in appeal, flavor, or well-rounded development. This could have to do with the future being so sleek and controlled, but very few of the individuals portrayed here left much of a mark. They all sound a bit similar in voice and style, reminiscent of my issues with the characters of Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro. As a side note, if you read and greatly enjoyed that book you may want to give Vagabonds a try as it has some tonal similarities.A note about the translation. I’ve read many translations, ones that seemed good and ones that seemed bad. This translation strikes me as noteworthy in its depth and clarity. Word choices seem carefully handled and well fitting to the literary weight of this work.In closing, Vagabonds is worth checking out if you enjoy more mature and thought-provoking sci-fi with an emphasis on world building. The political and social tensions conveyed make an interesting contrast to present-day realities.But a thrilling timeline, eventful plotting, and deep character development take a backseat by comparison. I found this book as a whole to be too lacking in those areas.Note : I received an ARC of this book for review.

A thoughtful meditation on what makes human societies, this book is deeply philosophical with the glacial weight of history and philosophy providing gravity for what at first glance seems a story of teen angst. Like a spaceship crossing the galaxy, this book seems to be moving slowly even as it covers vast territory in the human heart. Clocking in at 600 pages and unmoored from fast plot twists or snappy action, each character and each turn of the story provide a mirror reflecting back our broken world and our futile attempts to create a better one. If you’re looking for action this ain’t it, but if you are looking to better understand the grief and struggle that is turning the wheel of fate than this may be for you.

Reminiscent of Kim Stanley Robinson. Thoughtful, layered and well worth the time. The characters have real and vibrant intellectual lives and who they are come through the translation well.

A story of friendships over generations with a hidden secret that has to be understood to allow new generations to move forward.