All that to say, I really think that RF Kuang is the future of fantasy. The Poppy War is an incredible book that I simply loved, and I have mad respect for her.

When books are talked about well before they are published, as was the case with Babel, it’s an easy call to pre-make special editions to sell on top of the standard edition. More editions means more people buying. So it stands to reason that a hyped-up book is going to get a lot of editions. Seriously, no thanks. I think I’m becoming a bit allergic to books that seem to doubt readers’ ability to come to their own conclusions and instead opt for the sledgehammer approach, badgering the reader over the head with anvil-like statements lest that reader does not come to the obvious predetermined conclusions, and then spoonfeeding more of the same in the neverending pontificating footnotes. This is an extraordinary experience to learn and understand more about the power of language, and it also represents exemplary criticism of colonialism, strikingly bold approach to class differences, racism, nationalism. It feels like a stunning nonfiction perfectly blended in fantasy world and dark academia.a b Templeton, Molly (2023-05-15). "Here Are the Winners of the 2022 Nebula Awards!". Tor.com . Retrieved 2023-05-15. Problem is, you can’t write a book for someone like that. First of all, because this person is not real: they’re a mental image conjured by the author’s own anxieties and insecurities. Secondly, because no good art has even come out of a need to pre-emptively defend oneself from baseless accusations. And thirdly, because despite Kuang’s best efforts, it’s impossible to make criticism-proof art. https://limitededitionbook com/2021/05/22/the-chronicles-of-narnia-barnes-noble-leatherbound-like-new-9781435117150/ Some of the book subscription boxes do sell individual titles. (Their subscription books are also fantastic, but I tend not to find a use for all the added merch they come with, so they’re not super cost effective in my case.) Some of the most popular subscription services include: How do I find exclusive, special and limited edition books? Advice from a long-time collector. Introduction

I come from a culture that has been affected by British colonialism, too. My mother is from a small South Pacific island that was colonized by the British in the 1800s. The traditional customs of my mother's culture were replaced with western ones, and the actions of the British at the time caused trauma that still affects my mother's culture today. However, the reality is that if things had not happened as they did, I and many others would not be here now. We also might not have had the opportunities we have right now to create a positive future for ourselves and others.From award-winning author R. F. Kuang comes Babel, a historical fantasy epic that grapples with student revolutions, colonial resistance, and the use of language and translation as the dominating tool of the British Empire For Robin, Oxford is a utopia dedicated to the pursuit of knowledge. But knowledge obeys power, and as a Chinese boy raised in Britain, Robin realizes serving Babel means betraying his motherland. As his studies progress, Robin finds himself caught between Babel and the shadowy Hermes Society, an organization dedicated to stopping imperial expansion. When Britain pursues an unjust war with China over silver and opium, Robin must decide… Besides the cost of silver, which we’re told is abundant in the colonies, there are no reasons why any advanced civilization couldn’t develop their own institute of translation. The idea that translation alone is responsible for the technological superiority of the British Empire is ludicrous. Frankly, the only reason someone would come up with that idea is that they idolize translation to a point where they think it could actually be the single most important form of knowledge in human history. El-Mohtar, Amal (2022-10-14). "The Magic of Translation". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331 . Retrieved 2022-11-27.