Scan barcode
A review by ratgrrrl
The Merchant and the Alchemist's Gate by Ted Chiang
4.0
To cheer myself up, I finally started Ted Chiang's Exhalation anthology.
The Merchant and the Alchemist's gate is a wonderful short story that put me in mind of a less depressing and technical Primer, but within a Arabian Nights framework.
It's not my favourite Chiang or time travel story by a long way, but it really shows how much of a sound literary architect and engineer Chiang is, and that those stories that aren't his most electric are still some of life's little pleasures.
With the author's note at the end (something I really love about Chiang's short stories), it also shows the different levels of narrative and framing that can inspire and elevate an initial concept, as well as being a masterclass on how to write cultures and beliefs that aren't your own (from my rather ignorant perspective, I'm not an expert or a sensitivity reader). It's clear he is setting out with respectful intentions and did his research.
The Merchant and the Alchemist's gate is a wonderful short story that put me in mind of a less depressing and technical Primer, but within a Arabian Nights framework.
It's not my favourite Chiang or time travel story by a long way, but it really shows how much of a sound literary architect and engineer Chiang is, and that those stories that aren't his most electric are still some of life's little pleasures.
With the author's note at the end (something I really love about Chiang's short stories), it also shows the different levels of narrative and framing that can inspire and elevate an initial concept, as well as being a masterclass on how to write cultures and beliefs that aren't your own (from my rather ignorant perspective, I'm not an expert or a sensitivity reader). It's clear he is setting out with respectful intentions and did his research.