China Mountain Zhang

“A first novel this good gives every reader a chance to share in the pleasure of discovery; to my mind, Ms. McHugh’s achievement recalls the best work of Delany and Robinson without being in the least derivative.” ―The New York Times

Immediately recognized as a groundbreaking work on its first publication in 1992, China Mountain Zhang was shortlisted for the Hugo and Nebula Awards and won the Lambda Literary Award, the Tiptree Memorial Award, and the Locus Award for Best First Novel.

After the Second Great Depression and the American Liberation War, the US has been left as a satellite state of China. In this somewhat but not entirely regimented world, young New York construction engineer Zhang Zhongshan must find his way in a society that disapproves both of his cultural heritage and his sexual identity. Because not everyone can change the world―sometimes, the ultimate challenge is to find a way to live in it. China Mountain Zhang presents a macroscopic world of microscopic intensity, one of the most brilliant visions in modern science fiction.

This new Tor Essentials edition of China Mountain Zhang includes an introduction by the Hugo, Nebula, and World Fantasy Award-winning Jo Walton, author of Among Others.

“Maureen McHugh has mastered the trick of astonishing the reader with what futuristic characters take most for granted.” ―The Washington Post