Early Buzz for All That We See or Seem

Hi Everyone,

Early Reviews for All That We See or Seem

I’m thrilled to share the early buzz:

★ Publishers Weekly:

This dazzling near-future mystery from Hugo winner Liu sparkles with suspense, intensity, and effortless worldbuilding.

Julia Z, a famous hacker and bounty hunter in her mid-20s, is contacted by lawyer Piers Neri to help track down his missing wife, dream guide Elli Krantz, who induces vivid dreams for paying audiences. When Julia declines, strange men appear outside her building in suburban New England, and she flees. Then a master criminal known as the Prince tells Piers and Julia that he has Elli, demanding Piers find and return something unspecified that Elli stole from the Prince if he wants her back. Victor, the Prince’s right-hand man, is tasked with keeping track of Piers and Julia, who try to stay one step ahead of him as they work to find and free Elli. The trail of clues is long, dangerous, and littered with red herrings…. This is another marvel from a perennially innovative author.

★ Booklist:

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.

Library Journal:

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.

VERDICT Liu’s vivid science-fiction novel brilliantly imagines a thrilling AI-powered world; it will appeal to fans looking for a Black Mirror –style take on the future.

Reactor:

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.

Preorder Your Copy

Preorders are incredibly helpful to an author.

I’ve included links to the publishers’ pages below, which have preorder links out to various popular online stores. You can also support your local bookstore by placing an order through there.

Publication Date: October 9, 2025 (UK), October 14, 2025 (US)

Simon & Schuster (US, links to popular online stores)

Bloomsbury (UK)

Simon & Schuster Audio (US, links to popular online stores)

The Hidden Girl and Other Stories On Sale

The Hidden Girl and Other Stories is a Kindle monthly deal for August. Kindle price: $1.99! (As usual, other online retailers will match.) The promotion begins on August 4th and runs through the 31st.

Thank you, as always, for your support of my work!

Ken