Praise for THE LANGUAGE OF LIARS
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“Smart, razor sharp, and absolutely devastating.”—Rebecca Roanhorse, New York Times Bestselling author of Black Sun
“Pitch-perfect science fiction about linguistics and consequences. This book destroyed me.”—Yoon Ha Lee, New York Times bestselling author of Ninefox Gambit
“Truly ambitious science fiction, melding convincingly alien species with all-too-familiar impulses. Packs an enormous punch in a very small space.”—Marie Brennan, author of A Natural History of Dragons
“A powerful story, well-paced, speculatively brilliant, and emotionally raw and insightful. The deft explorations of alien anatomy, society, and language are particularly ingenious and sharp. This is science fiction at its best.”—Kate Elliott, New York Times bestselling author of The Witch Roads
“Lovely, complex, and bittersweet. … At its heart, The Language of Liars is a love letter to words, but also a sharp examination of their limitations.”—A.C. Wise, author of Wendy, Darling
“The Language of Liars is, quite simply, a brilliant book. A fast paced and thoughtful linguistic deconstruction of the colonial mindset and enterprise. It’s Get Out meets Embassytown with shades of Dune while being something that is entirely its own. Incredibly clever…. I inhaled it all in one sitting and you probably will too.”—Wole Talabi, World Fantasy finalist and author of Shigidi and the Brass Head of Obalufon
“I felt shattered, betrayed by all my hopes. Everything we believe about linguistics says shared language leads to greater understanding and compassion. This is why I translate. But language is also a technology, and technologies can destroy. S. L. Huang shows how lies using language can create an unthinkable disaster.”—Sue Burke, author of Semiosis
“S. L. Huang’s The Language of Liars is a story about an earnest, precocious linguist who sacrifices everything for answers only to stumble on far bigger questions. This is my favorite kind of science fiction: a thought-provoking exploration of the hidden costs of civilization with an aching emotional core. The Language of Liars is a beautiful, brilliant, heartbreaking story of culture, history, and the trespasses we commit in pursuit of understanding. If you loved Arrival, A Memory Called Empire, or Translation State, read this.”—Yume Kitasei, author of The Deep Sky
“This fast-paced and sharp novella about alien societies and linguistic assumptions hits all the right notes for readers who enjoy smart science fiction.”—Library Journal, STARRED
“Hugo award winner Huang stuns in this philosophical sci-fi exploration of linguistics and lost civilizations. . . . A fascinating linguistic puzzle that will entice hard sci-fi fans and literary scholars alike. This packs an impressive punch.”—Publishers Weekly, STARRED
“An absolute gem of a book. This is smart, incisive science fiction packed with great ideas, unique worldbuilding, and an ending that hits like a sack of bricks. F***ing fantastic.”—Samantha Mills, Nebula and Locus award-winning author of “Rabbit Test” and The Wings Upon Her Back
“Thoughtful, gripping, and heartbreaking. If you liked R.F. Kuang’s Babel, you should read The Language of Liars.”—CD Covington, author of Filling Your Worlds with Words: A writer’s guide to linguistic worldbuilding
“A twisting narrative… visceral and boldly imagined space opera.”—Paul Weimer, Hugo Award-winning book reviewer
“Linguistics, aliens, and S. L. Huang? SAY NO MORE, TAKE MY MONEY!”—Every Book a Doorway
“Extraordinarily powerful… Easily one of the best science fiction works of the past decade.”—Jonathan Strahan, World Fantasy and Hugo Award–winning reviews editor of Locus