A review by laurareads87
Jumpnauts by Hao Jingfang

adventurous challenging inspiring medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

Jumpnauts follows a small group attempts “a desperate mission of first contact with a mysterious alien race before more militaristic minds can take matters into their own hands.” Jiang Liu, a young astronomer from a wealthy family, Qi Fei, a military researcher, and archaeologist Yun Fan shift from rivals to allies as they aim to unravel a series of mysteries and prevent war. 

Initially, this book reads much more in a thriller/espionage vein than I’d expected, and the very beginning is a bit slow; however, I was quickly drawn in. In addition to the central plot involving both alien contact and human politics, the characters’ relationships and back stories are well developed, including their relationships with their families (who are secondary characters and/or absent but very much have an impact). 

There are many, many references in this text – the characters debate Chinese philosophy including Confucianism and Mohism, discuss LeGuin’s “The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas,” and underlying themes include artificial intelligence, democratic decision-making, human/technology interfacing, and more. Ken Liu’s footnotes were immensely helpful for me when it came to the nuances of the conversations on Chinese traditions – I would recommend reading his introduction to get a sense of his approach. 

Since reading this, I’ve learned that it is intended to be book one in a series; based on it, I’ll happily pick up the next one when it comes available. 

Content warnings: sexism / misogyny, (threat of) war, classism 
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