Song of the New Sun

Name: Song of the New Sun
ISBN: 9787572713422

莎拉·平斯克 / 于娟娟Sichuan Science and Technology Press · ChinaApr 2025

4.2

Word count: 220K words
Chapters: 43
ISBN: 9787572713422

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Summary

In the near future, terrorist attacks and viruses have spread to every corner of the world, and large offline gatherings are strictly prohibited.

People in the post-pandemic era no longer have the freedom to gather—weddings, funerals, concerts, sporting events… all have become relics of the past. By then, all human desires can be satisfied in "Hoodspace."

Passionate musician Luce Cannon longs for direct, essential communication with listeners; Rosemary Laws, living in a safe community, yearns to explore a wider world. The two fates intertwine like musical notes, ultimately striking up a beautiful and hopeful melody.

Editor's review

The New Day Song turns its lens on a near future where "gathering is impossible": offline weddings, concerts and sporting events have become memories, and desire is channeled into "Hoodspace." What moves readers most is not the dazzle of its technological premise but its persistent inquiry into a plain yet sharp question—when bodies are isolated, what is left for people to share? The two threads of musician Luce Cannon and community girl Rosemary Laws run like two melodies, one pushing outward, the other exploring inward, finally converging into variations on live presence, risk and hope. Sarah Pinsker excels at carrying weighty social questions through light everyday detail; the reading is not oppressive but warm. It suits sustained reading in quiet hours; focus on the characters' longing for "real contact" and you will more readily feel the sense of live presence and loss that recurs throughout. For readers familiar with post-pandemic life, this book is like a gentle mirror: it offers no simple answers, yet makes one reconsider the meaning of gathering, performance and being together.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Science fiction readers who enjoy near-future social imagination and music themes
Those who have lived through the pandemic era and feel the "gathering" issue firsthand
Readers who prefer character-driven, emotionally nuanced fiction over hard tech-driven stories
Book club members interested in discussing public space and the value of physical presence

Not a good fit for

Hard SF fans seeking dense technological worldbuilding and grand cosmic war spectacle
Readers expecting fast-paced action and strong twist-driven narratives
Those uncomfortable with or wishing to avoid pandemic-related social background

Reading tips

Read the two character threads in alternation, noting how Luce's and Rosemary's respective "longings" differ.
When you reach passages about "Hoodspace," pause and consider what it satisfies and what it replaces.
Compare the book's descriptions of weddings, concerts and similar scenes with your own experience, and note the details that move you.
After finishing, write a short review on "whether live presence can be replaced," then exchange views with friends.

About the publisher

Sichuan Science and Technology Press China · Founded in 1982

Sichuan Science and Technology Press features science and technology, popular science, and science fiction publishing, while also covering agricultural technology and medical and health books. In science fiction, the press has continued to release works by Liu Cixin, including The Wandering Earth: Selected Short Stories of Liu Cixin, boxed sets of Arthur C. Clarke's science fiction classics, and masterworks such as Ringworld, Snow Crash, and Minus Zero, organized into series including the Chinese Science Fiction Cornerstone Series and the World Science Fiction Masters Series. In popular science, classics such as George Gamow's One Two Three... Infinity reflect its orientation toward public science communication. Its author resources in the library include Liu Cixin, Yao Haijun, and Cheng Xi, among other science fiction and popular science editors and translators; the library contains 190 titles, classified mainly as popular science, science fiction, quality fiction, and foreign literature. Public information is limited, and the above is summarized only from the library's titles and existing profile.

版权信息
第一部
第1章卢斯一百七十二种方法
第2章罗斯玛丽又一名快乐的超级沃利员工
第3章卢斯桃子剧场
第4章罗斯玛丽《冲击》
第5章卢斯最后的强力和弦
第6章罗斯玛丽职业机遇
第7章卢斯必须有所改变
第8章罗斯玛丽小盒子
第9章卢斯愿灵魂安息
第10章罗斯玛丽你可以信任谁
第11章罗斯玛丽处境艰难
第12章卢斯从未真正拥有
第13章罗斯玛丽家门口的冒险
第14章卢斯皮夹克
第二部
第15章罗斯玛丽巴尔的摩
第16章罗斯玛丽 2020
第17章罗斯玛丽墙上的影子
第18章罗斯玛丽无菌青春期
第19章卢斯我的大脑在哪里
第20章罗斯玛丽来看真实的我
第21章罗斯玛丽选择
第22章罗斯玛丽只有来这里才能知道
第23章罗斯玛丽等一下，等一下
第24章罗斯玛丽离开
第三部
第25章卢斯你准备好了吗？
第26章罗斯玛丽桥梁
第27章卢斯十六场个人演出
第28章罗斯玛丽更多的摇滚，更多的谈话
第29章卢斯冷静下来
第30章罗斯玛丽徽章
第31章罗斯玛丽职业自杀
第32章卢斯修复我的生活
第33章罗斯玛丽压力降低
第34章罗斯玛丽自由意志占星术
第35章卢斯在荒野中呼喊
第36章罗斯玛丽记住你是谁
第37章卢斯展现独立
第38章罗斯玛丽尾声
致谢

FAQ

Do I need to know Sarah Pinsker's other works before reading this book?

No. This is a standalone story with its own characters and setting, so you can read it directly without confusion. If you have read the author's other works, you may notice her consistent style in everyday detail and emotional development.

Is "Hoodspace" a virtual-reality-like setting?

You can think of it as an experiential space that substitutes for offline gathering; in the book it accommodates prohibited activities such as weddings and performances. It functions more as a social backdrop device; the focus is not on technical principles but on how people face the absence of real contact.

Is the book's overall tone heavy?

The background does involve terrorist attacks, viruses and banned offline events, but the narrative centers on the characters' longings and their drawing closer to one another, and the ending points toward hope. It reads with a sense of loss but is not oppressive.

Is it better read in one sitting or in stages?

Either works. To appreciate the interwoven rhythm of the two character threads, you can read in stages chapter by chapter; if you have time, continuous reading makes it easier to feel the emotional buildup and the convergence of the ending.

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About the author

莎拉·平斯克 Author

Sarah Pinsker is a science fiction author whose works have been introduced to Chinese readers through the World Science Fiction Masters series published by Science Fiction World. Three of her works are included here: Sarah Pinsker's Collected Works (a two-volume set), The New Day's Song, and Roaming the Long Wind. All are classified as science fiction, indicating that her writing centers on this genre. Because public information is limited, her nationality, biography, education, and awards cannot be confirmed, and no speculation is offered here. Judging from the works introduced so far, she presents her writing in both long-form and collected short fiction, with themes marked by speculative thinking and futuristic imagination, suited to readers interested in the diverse landscape of contemporary science fiction.

于娟娟 Author

Public information about Yu Juanjuan is currently limited, and her identity as a writer is known mainly in the field of science fiction. One work by her is included in the database, New Sun Song (Xin Ri Zhi Ge), which is categorized as a science fiction novel and serves as the main entry point for understanding her writing. Judging from the available bibliographic information alone, her writing is connected with science fiction themes; however, there is not yet enough material to comment on the specific story settings, narrative techniques, or stylistic features, and basic details such as her biography, nationality, and dates of birth and death are not clearly recorded. A cautious attitude is therefore appropriate when assessing her creative achievements and influence. Readers may first come to know this author through New Sun Song and then supplement their understanding with information made public later.