Episode 93: “Post Humanity Blues,” or Cixin Liu’s Death’s End Part I

About this episode

The episode discusses the themes and characters of Cixin Liu's 'Death's End', the final book in his trilogy.

The final installment in Cixin Liu’s trilogy is long. And strong. We begin in the “deterrence” era, in which humans and Trisolarans enjoy a truce enforced by mutually ensured destruction. But all things must pass, and when the truce breaks, humanity gazes at the possibility of its own destruction. Death’s End is part interstellar chase, part Cold War allegory and introduces a new anti-villian, Sophon, who is perhaps Liu’s greatest creation. Bagg finds the characters are less realistic humans, and more ideas, but grudgingly acknowledges the ideas themselves are interesting and worth the ride. We have a Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/c/upper_middle_brow And a Discord server! https://discord.gg/h734EZ3hBU

People in this episode

Host: Bagg

Topics covered

• Cixin Liu
• Death's End
• Trisolarans
• interstellar chase
• Cold War allegory
• humanity
• anti-villain

Keywords

• Cixin Liu
• Death's End
• Trisolarans
• Sophon
• interstellar chase
• Cold War
• humanity
• truce
• destruction

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Patreon, Discord

Books & works: Death's End

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