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Ted Chiang: The Secret Third Thing - Linch

linch.substack.com · 2,276 words · saved by 4 readers

I think he's probably the best science fiction short story writer alive, and possibly the best short story writer, period. I've read every one of his stories at least twice, and The Merchant and the Alchemist's Gate more like seven times. I’ve noticed many of his readers, including some of his most positive reviewers1, miss one key point or another of his works, and thus don't fully appreciate his genius. This review covers what he does extremely well, especially unique elements that other science fiction writers have not done as well, or at all. Science fiction critics often divide the genre into: "hard" science fiction: aka engineering fiction, stories built on scientifically accurate extrapolations of real physics and technology (think Arthur C. Clarke) "soft" science fiction: aka science fantasy, which uses scientific trappings as window dressing for character-driven or sociological stories (think Star Wars). Ted Chiang has written stories plausibly categorized as either, but more

I really like Ted Chiang’s writing. I think he's probably the best science fiction short story writer alive, and possibly the best short story writer, period. I've read every one of his stories at least twice, and The Merchant and the Alchemist's Gate more like seven times. I’ve noticed many of his readers, including some of his most positive reviewers1, miss one key point or another of his works, and thus don't fully appreciate his genius. This review covers what he does extremely well, especially unique elements that other science fiction writers have not done as well, or at all.…

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