5 Asian & Asian-American Sci-Fi/Fantasy Authors You Should Know

For Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month, here’s a list of Asian and Asian American speculative fiction writers whose books belong on the top of your TBR.

Haruki Murakami 

One of the most popular and successful authors on this list, Haruki Murakami is considered a national treasure in his home country of Japan. His books often blend magical realism and the supernatural, both of which fall into the science fiction domain. "Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World" and "1Q84" are both great examples of his unique ability to bend reality with science fiction elements. It's no wonder that he's an international best-selling author.

Marie Lu

Born in Wuxi, China and immigrated to the United States as a child, Marie Lu is a successful young adult writer. Most of her novels take place in a dystopian future, such as her popular "Young Elites" series. Lu has also recently announced that she is working on a new science fiction based duology that will be released in 2017. With her "Legend" series being turned into a feature film, it's clear that Marie is a rising star in the sci-fi community.

 Ken Liu

Winner of almost every notable literary award, including the Hugo, Nebula, and World Fantasy. Ken Liu is a talented and diverse science fiction writer. His debut novel "The Grace of Kings" shows off his skills to create an epic steampunk set world, whilst his collection of short stories, "The Paper Menagerie", demonstrates his storytelling flexibility. He also translates Chinese science fiction novels into English, most notably "The Three Body Problem" by Liu Cixin.

Malinda Po

As a popular sci-fi and fantasy young adult writer, Malinda Po strives to bring diversity to YA literature. Most of her novels feature LGBT characters, like those in her science fiction based "Adaptation" series. She also co-founded Diversity in YA, a website that promotes and celebrates diverse representations in young adult literature. Malinda Po is definitely leaving her mark on the literary world in a ground-breaking way.

Liu Cixin

Often compared to Arthur C. Clarke, Liu Cixin is considered China's most popular science fiction writer. If you look at his nine Galaxy Awards (China's most prestigious literary science fiction award) then that will come as no surprise. In the United States he won the 2015 Hugo award for his novel "The Three Body Problem", which made him the first Asian writer to win "Best Novel". As his novels are being more frequently translated from Chinese, expect to hear more praise about this talented hard science writer.