(Chinese Post-Apocalyptic Slipstream) Long after the fall of humanity, a dragon/horse robot wakes up and explores the ruins of Beijing. (5,170 words; Time: 17m)
Rating: ★★★☆☆ Average
"Night Journey of the Dragon-Horse," by Xia Jia [bio] (translated by Ken Liu), appeared in Invisible Planets, published on November 1, 2016 by Tor.
Mini-Review (click to view--possible spoilers)
Pro: The story is very beautiful. The conversations between the dragon-horse and the bat are endearing. And in the end, he got what he really wanted—to go home.
Con: The story appears to be loaded with symbolism, but it’s impenetrable without a deeper understanding of Chinese culture. Perhaps a reader with that background will post a comment explaining some of it.
Note: Long-Ma (ιΎι¦¬), the Dragon-Horse described in the story, really exists, and it really was paraded in Nantes, France, and in Beijing. (These are the links from the author's note at the end of the story.)
Other Reviews: Search Web, GoodReads.com
Xia Jia Info: Interviews, Websites, ISFDB, FreeSFOnline
Con: The story appears to be loaded with symbolism, but it’s impenetrable without a deeper understanding of Chinese culture. Perhaps a reader with that background will post a comment explaining some of it.
Note: Long-Ma (ιΎι¦¬), the Dragon-Horse described in the story, really exists, and it really was paraded in Nantes, France, and in Beijing. (These are the links from the author's note at the end of the story.)
Other Reviews: Search Web, GoodReads.com
Xia Jia Info: Interviews, Websites, ISFDB, FreeSFOnline
Now online at Lightspeed 96, May 2018:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.lightspeedmagazine.com/fiction/night-journey-of-the-dragon-horse/