EXPLORING DARK SHORT FICTION #5: A PRIMER TO HAN SONG EDITED BY ERIC J. GUIGNARD [BOOK REVIEW]

If you’ve ever been on a packed subway or train, this story is for you. Claustrophobic and uncomfortable, the story continually evolves and keeps the reader guessing. I was dying to know where it was headed (both the story and the subway!), and I was delighted to be continually surprised and intrigued. A skilful (and disturbing) blend of horror and Sci Fi.

A Primer to Han Song

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Dark Moon Books (28 Sept. 2020)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 222 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1949491129
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1949491128

Review by Amber Logan

I love reading fiction in translation—doubly so when it is speculative, as adding in a different cultural perspective expands the range of possibilities. Reading speculative fiction from another language and culture also increases the likelihood I will have no clue where the story is headed based on previous experience or knowledge of the genre, because spec fic can look completely different on the other side of the world.

This is particularly true of Chinese speculative fiction. Are the stories Han Song writes Sci Fi or are they horror? As is explained in the collection’s introduction, in China “the term Science Fiction incorporates horror, as well (as there is not a separate distinction between the two genres).” I was pleasantly surprised to learn this fact, as I love blurred genre lines and tend to prefer horror that has at least one foot across the line into an adjacent genre, anyways.
Because of this lack of genre-differentiation, the stories in this collection (part of the broadly titled “Exploring Dark Short Fiction” series) aren’t straight horror…but they aren’t straight Sci Fi (or fantasy), either. I would argue they are best described as creepy thought experiments that Song takes to new and startling extremes.

In addition to an interview with Han Song and other details about the author and his works, the collection features six short stories, each with an accompanying commentary:

“Earth is Flat”
This first story is quite short. It is an interesting take on colonization, and also the most Sci Fi of the collection. In “Earth is Flat,” a Chinese tourist has travelled to New York and is told a tale about the REAL flat Earth discovered by Columbus (and how we’re not living on it).

“Transformation Subway”
If you’ve ever been on a packed subway or train, this story is for you. Claustrophobic and uncomfortable, the story continually evolves and keeps the reader guessing. I was dying to know where it was headed (both the story and the subway!), and I was delighted to be continually surprised and intrigued. A skilful (and disturbing) blend of horror and Sci Fi.

“The Wheel of Samsara”
A beautiful Sci Fi story with a fairy tale feel set in Tibet. The story deals with the origins of the universe in a brain-expanding, Dr. Strange kind of way.

“Two Small Birds”
I will be the first to admit this story went over my head. The commentary describes it as “a subtly bizarro story that belongs fully in the category of contemporary surrealist experimentation. John Chu deserves a prize for capturing the ‘WTF’ feeling of the story in his translation.” That about sums it up. There’s a magazine, some birds, a library…from there, your guess is as good as mine.

“Fear of Seeing”
In this story, a baby is born with eight additional eyes. The world gets involved (newspapers, scientists wanting to study the child, etc.), conspiracies ensue, and the reader is led to wonder whether this baby (and others of its kind…) sees the true nature of reality, unlike the rest of us. Creepy and thought-provoking.

“My Country Does Not Dream”
The final story in the collection was probably my favorite, though it wasn’t scary (save for the underlying social/cultural implications). A man wakes in the night and realizes the Chinese government has been forcing the entire population to essentially sleepwalk their way through doubling the nation’s productivity. Everyone falls asleep as normal, but then sleepwalks to work, to shopping centers, etc. to further drive the economy. But knowledge of this bizarre plot to boost China’s economy is dangerous to have…
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The stories in this collection are quite accessible for the casual reader, but the additional content would also make this a good text for a more academic setting. As I assume was the intention of the publisher, A Primer to Han Song has inspired me to seek out more Chinese Sci Fi/horror.

EXPLORING DARK SHORT FICTION #5: A PRIMER TO HAN SONG EDITED   BY ERIC J. GUIGNARD

Considered one of the three most important voices in contemporary Chinese science fiction (along with Liu Cixin and Wang Jinkang), Han Song is a multiple recipient of the Chinese Galaxy Award (China's highest profile sci-fi prize), as well as the Chinese Nebula Award and Asian-Pacific Sci-fi Gravity Award. Song bridges new developments in science and subjects of cultural and social dynamics with stories of dystopia, governmental conspiracy, and subversive horror, earning praise for his work as "absurdly dark," while also reigniting a science fiction renaissance.
Including original English translations by Nathaniel Isaacson, PhD, Dark Moon Books and editor Eric J. Guignard bring you this introduction to Han Song's work, the fifth in a series of primers exploring modern masters of literary dark short fiction. Herein is a chance to discover-or learn more of-the enigmatic voice of Han Song, as beautifully illustrated by artist Michelle Prebich.
Included within these pages are:
•   Six short stories, three translated exclusively for this book
•   Author interview
•   Complete bibliography
•   Academic commentary by Michael Arnzen, PhD (former humanities chair and professor of the year, Seton Hill University)
•   ... and more!
Enter this doorway to the vast and fantastic: Get to know Han Song.
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"A fascinating study for fans seeking new reads and for librarians developing wide-ranging collections." -Library Journal
"Refreshing and much-needed... Addresses significant themes and figures within the horror field." -Locus Magazine

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