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All That We See or Seem

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All That We See or Seem

By: Ken Liu
Narrated by: Kat Cleave
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*2026 LOCUS FINALIST FOR BEST SCIENCE FICTION NOVEL*
*ONE OF TIME MAGAZINE'S 100 MUST-READ BOOKS OF 2025*


Is all that we see or seem
But a dream within a dream?
— Edgar Allan Poe

At 14, Julia Z became infamous as the "orphan hacker," a teenage prodigy who broke the law and captivated a nation. Now, years later, she’s trying to leave that life behind, hiding in the quiet suburbs of Boston. But her fragile anonymity is shattered when a desperate lawyer bursts into her life, begging for her help to find his wife—a celebrated artist who uses AI to craft shared dreams for thousands of followers and who has been kidnapped by a criminal syndicate.

Against her better judgment, Julia embarks on a harrowing journey across the country, drawn ever-deeper into the shadows of the American dream. As she tracks the criminals, she confronts not only their perilous schemes but also the ghosts of her own past. Resourceful, relentless, and deeply contemptuous of authority, Julia must dig deep into her unique skillset and fractured psyche to uncover the truth — and to hold onto hope when everything around her descends into darkness.

This is the first book in an electrifying new series that masterfully intertwines the urgent thriller with thought-provoking speculation on the future of art in an age dominated by artificial intelligence. Julia Z is a bold, unforgettable heroine destined to captivate readers — a literary creation as rich and compelling as the Dandelion Dynasty itself.©2025 Ken Liu (P)2025 Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Genre Fiction Metaphysical & Visionary Science Fiction Dream Boston
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Critic reviews

'This is one of the best science-fiction books of the year.'
'This is another marvel from a perennially innovative author. . . This dazzling near-future mystery from Hugo winner Liu sparkles with suspense, intensity, and effortless worldbuilding… The trail of clues is long, dangerous, and littered with red herrings…. This is another marvel from a perennially innovative author.'
'All That We See or Seem is a heart-pounding sci-fi thriller that questions the nature of both science and artistry. And again Ken Liu has me wanting to delete my social media and quit the internet forever, which just goes to show how effectively he highlights the dangers of a possible AI-driven future.'
'Liu has created an amazing and immersive near-future world, which makes AI feel so commonplace and real that it brings to mind what William Gibson’s Neuromancer did to make the internet seem possible.'
'Liu begins a series reminiscent of Thomas Perry’s Jane Whitefield books, with superb characterizations and intense pacing. Readers will root for Julia as she is drawn into a dangerous game in this gripping SF thriller.'
Reviews for Ken Liu

‘Ken Liu is the kind of prodigious talent who makes mere mortals melt in despair at ever matching his accomplishments.’ – Locus on The Hidden Girl and Other stories

‘Ken Liu’s output is as amazing as his stories.’ – The Boston Globe on The Hidden Girl and Other stories
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Had such high hopes for this one, but was so disappointed. Really clunky story, basic premise which often didn’t make sense and surprisingly poor world building.

The narration was weird. Actually checked to see if it was an AI narrator - it’s not, but some very strange choices for sentence breaks and emphasis which made the clunky narrative even harder to follow at times.

Really patchy narration, clunky story

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