How to Read Em X. Liu’s Books: A Starting Guide
Em X. Liu is a brilliant voice in modern speculative fiction, weaving narratives that range from hard, cerebral science fiction to cozy, bureaucratic urban fantasy. Because their published works are currently standalones set in separate universes, there is no overarching chronological sequence to worry about. Instead, your reading order depends entirely on your preferred genre and mood.
If you love high-stakes, dark, and psychologically intense science fiction with a classic theatrical structure, you should start with The Death I Gave Him. If you prefer a lighter, warm, and somewhat satirical urban fantasy focusing on found family and overcoming corporate misery, then the novella If Found, Return to Hell is your perfect starting point.
Publication Order of Em X. Liu’s Works
For readers who want to experience Em X. Liu's evolution as an author, reading in order of publication is an excellent choice. This path takes you from corporate wizardry to high-tech Shakespearean tragedy and into shorter speculative fiction.
- If Found, Return to Hell (June 2023) – An urban fantasy novella focusing on a magical call-center intern.
- In You to Burn (August 2023) – A short story published in the young adult horror anthology Night of the Living Queers.
- The Death I Gave Him (September 2023) – A queer, locked-room sci-fi retelling of Shakespeare's Hamlet.
- Stellar Evolutions in Pop Idol Artistry (July 2024) – A science fiction short story featured in Clarkesworld Magazine Issue #214.
A Deep Dive into the Stories
The Death I Gave Him (2023)
Set in the near-future of 2047, The Death I Gave Him unfolds inside the claustrophobic walls of Elsinore Labs. The plot begins with a shocking discovery: Dr. Graham Lichfield, a visionary scientist close to perfecting the "Sisyphus Formula"—a compound capable of reversing death—has been murdered. His son, Hayden Lichfield, finds the body and realizes the facility has been locked down, trapping him inside with four other suspects.
Hayden is a modern-day Hamlet, consumed by grief and driven by a desperate urge to avenge his father. To navigate the lockdown and uncover the killer, Hayden turns to Horatio, the lab's sentient artificial intelligence. Horatio is neural-linked directly to Hayden, creating an intimate, complex partnership. Together, they must investigate the remaining suspects: Charles Lichfield (Hayden’s uncle), Paul (the head of security), Felicia Xia (a research intern and Hayden's ex-partner), and Gabriel Rasmussen (a lab technician). The novel uses multi-media elements, including security logs, transcripts, and lab records, to build a tense, razor-sharp atmosphere.
If Found, Return to Hell (2023)
In stark contrast to the dark corridors of Elsinore Labs, If Found, Return to Hell presents a cozy yet satirical take on urban fantasy. The story centers on Journeyman Wen, a burnt-out intern at "One Wizard," a massive corporate conglomerate that handles wizarding emergencies and magical customer service. Wen spends their days handling tedious administrative requests until they receive an unusual call from Shine, a young man who woke up with a mysterious talisman on his bedroom wall and no memory of how it got there.
Risking their career, Wen bypasses corporate protocol to make a house call. They discover that Shine is possessed by Wang Ran, a demon prince from Hell. Rather than a horrific struggle, the possession is strangely amicable; Shine and Wang Ran actually get along well and agree to share the physical form. However, when Hell demands the demon prince's return and One Wizard's bureaucracy threatens to intervene, Wen, Shine, and Wang Ran must stand together. Written in the second person, this novella explores themes of personal agency, identity, and the comforting warmth of found family.
Short Fiction Contributions
In addition to their longer works, Em X. Liu has contributed notable short stories to anthologies and magazines. Their short story "In You to Burn" is featured in the young adult horror anthology Night of the Living Queers: 13 Tales of Terror & Delight (2023), edited by Shelly Page and Alex Brown. The story follows Luce, a Chinese American pyrokinetic teenager, blending traditional Asian folklore with modern YA horror elements.
In July 2024, Liu published "Stellar Evolutions in Pop Idol Artistry" in Clarkesworld Magazine (Issue #214). This science fiction piece examines the grueling, machine-like industry behind space-faring pop idols, exploring themes of performance, artificiality, and the heavy price of achieving perfection.
What to Know Before You Start: Tone & Formats
Before diving into Em X. Liu's bibliography, readers should be prepared for unique structural choices. Liu frequently experiments with narrative voice and formatting. The Death I Gave Him is told through a mixture of standard narrative, audio transcriptions, security feed logs, and lab reports, which mirrors the fragmented psyche of its protagonist. On the other hand, If Found, Return to Hell uses second-person narration ("you"), which successfully conceals the protagonist's gender and draws the reader directly into the administrative drag of working a corporate magic job.
Additionally, Liu's background in biochemistry heavily influences their speculative elements. The Sisyphus Formula in their debut novel is treated with scientific detail, grounding the high-concept immortality premise in realistic laboratory procedures. Whether you are reading their dark sci-fi or cozy fantasy, you can expect a signature blend of intellectual rigor, diverse queer representation, and deep emotional resonance.