Celestial Empire

Celestial Empire shows the wealth and cultural richness of the Qing dynasty, which ruled China for nearly three centuries, as seen through rare materials from the National Library of China and the National Library of Australia. The book is illustrated with stunning images, from woodblock printed books to colourful maps, making accessible a wealth of culture from China’s last imperial dynasty. Many works that appear in the book have never been seen outside China before, or presented in English. Examples include painted scrolls of scenic and sacred sites, maps detailing a variety of landscapes, woodblock illustrations demonstrating extraordinary skill and artistic vision and delightful folk art used on festive occasions. The book also includes architectural drawings produced for the Imperial court of iconic locations such as the Forbidden City and the Summer Palace. A visually beautiful book that gives insight into the dynasty that laid the foundations of modern China.

How colonialism profoundly influenced the emergence of Chinese science fiction Challenging assumptions about science fiction's Western origins, Nathaniel Isaacson traces the development of the genre in China, from the late Qing Dynasty through the New Culture Movement. Through careful examination of a wide range of visual and print media—including historical accounts of the institutionalization of science, pictorial representations of technological innovations, and a number of novels and short stories—Isaacson makes a case for understanding Chinese science fiction as a product of colonial modernity. By situating the genre's emergence in the transnational traffic of ideas and material culture engendered by the presence of colonial powers in China's economic and political centers, Celestial Empires explores the relationship between science fiction and Orientalist discourse. In doing so it offers an innovative approach to the study of both vernacular writing in twentieth-century China and science fiction in a global context.

Communities around the galaxy have lived in relative seclusion for millennia that is, until a faction of warring worlds spawned an evil that would bring horror to the galaxy. As the reptilian Rapturans face the feline Trivarins, which race will win the conflict? As Rapturas technological prowess grows, its ruler, Sancura, begins seeking out allies to help him conquer more of the galaxy. When the Rapturans encounter the world of Reptillon, an alliance is formed that will threaten the entire galaxy. But when the combined might of the Reptilians and Rapturans leads to the destruction of an entire planet and the deaths of trillions, other worlds band together to resist their tyranny. As the galactic conflict known as the Blood War begins, a race of immortal beings known as the Sirrouns join the battleand only time will tell whether their intervention will stop the spread of Reptilian conquest in the galaxy. In this science fiction tale of action, adventure, and war, an alliance of reptilian races seeking to conquer the galaxy faces off against an immortal warrior race.