''We’re mysterious aliens in the crowd. We jump like fleas from future to past and back again, and float like clouds of gas between nebulae; in a flash, we can reach the edge of the universe, or tunnel into a quark, or swim within a star-core... We’re as unassuming as fireflies, yet our numbers grow like grass in spring. We sci-fi fans are people from the future.'' – Cixin Liu, from the essay ''Sci-Fi Fans''A View from the Stars features a range of short works from the past three decades of New York Times bestselling author Cixin Liu''s prolific career, putting his nonfiction essays and short stories side-by-side for the first time. This collection includes essays and interviews that shed light on Liu''s experiences as a reader, writer, and lover of science fiction throughout his life, as well as short fiction that gives glimpses into the evolution of his imaginative voice over the years.