New Books!
Julia Z & The Passing of the Dragon and Other Stories
As 2024 winds down, I wish you all a cozy and joyful holiday season. In this last update of the year, I have some big news to share.
All That We See or Seem, the First Julia Z Novel, and a New Collection
I’ve been working on a techno-thriller series starring a new heroine, Julia Z. The first book, All That We See or Seem, will be published by Saga Press in the US in October 2025! (I’ll have more info on the UK publication shortly.)
Saga has also acquired a new collection from me, The Passing of the Dragon and Other Stories, scheduled for 2026.
From Saga’s announcement:
We’re excited to announce that we’ve acquired three new novels, beginning with the thriller All That We See or Seem, set to drop in October 2025. Exploring the future of art in a world of AI-driven loneliness, this book will be the first in a trilogy of near-future thrillers exploring the shadowy world of international crime and hackers.
Then, for 2026, we can look forward to a new collection from one of the modern masters of the short story, The Passing of the Dragon and Other Stories. While you wait, follow Ken for updates @kenliu.author on IG or his website, https://kenliu.name/about/
Here’s my description of All That We See or Seem:
Julia Z, a young woman who gained notoriety at 14 as the "orphan hacker," is trying to live a life of obscurity in a Boston suburb. But when a lawyer whose famous artist wife has been kidnapped by dangerous criminals barges into her life, Julia is forced to use her unique skillset to track her down. The result is a harrowing journey across the country and deep into the shadows of her psyche.
Resourceful, relentless, contemptuous of authority, trying to do her best to move on from a troubled past, never giving up hope even when all around her is darkness—Julia Z is my favorite literary creation since the Dandelion Dynasty.
In this first book, I put in a lot of my speculation on the future of art in the age of AI. I can’t wait to share her adventures with all of you.
Laozi’s Dao De Jing
More news on my translation of Laozi’s Dao De Jing: The trade paperback edition is coming out in the US from Scribner on January 7, 2025. It looks just as good as the hardcover. So if you make a new year’s resolution to seek out more ancient wisdom, this would be a good book to get, ha.
The UK edition will be published by Head of Zeus on January 16, a few days later. It has a different cover, and I think it looks fantastic, too!
A New Audio Version of the Dandelion Dynasty
The existing narration of the Dandelion Dynasty by Michael Kramer is absolutely wonderful, but it’s not available to listeners in the UK (among other places). Head of Zeus has commissioned Kevin Shen to produce a new narration so that now audiobook consumers in the UK can also enjoy the Dandelion Dynasty.
The release date is December 19, 2024, just in time for the holidays. That’s 136 hours of Dara to keep you company :D
Thank you, as always, for supporting my work. I’m so excited about next year!