Uchronia: Celestial Empire

Roberson, Chris. "Metal Dragon Year". In InterZone #213.

Roberson, Chris. Celestial Empire
Divergence: 1424 CE
What if: Zhu Zhanji became emperor of China two years early, and so the Treasure Fleets were never curtailed by Zhu Gaozhi nor Chinese expansionism halted.
Series note: Series of 14 linked stories and novels. Most if not all of those in short form may eventually be gathered in a single volume titled Celestial Empire: Fire Star.

Roberson, Chris. "Fire in the Lake"
Divergence: 1424 CE
Summary: In 1424, an elderly magistrate is summoned to the Forbidden Palace to investigate the murder of Zhu Gaozhi, the heir of the Yongle emperor.
Series note: A story in Celestial Empire.
Published: In Subterranean #9 (Fall 2007).
Web link: Subterranean Press

Roberson, Chris. "Thy Saffron Wings"
Divergence: 1424 CE
Summary: In 1611, an ambassador from China visits England and sees a play.
Series note: A story in Celestial Empire.
Published: In Postscripts #15 (September 2008).

Roberson, Chris. "The Sky is Large and the Earth Small"
Divergence: 1424 CE
Summary: In 1712, a long imprisoned Chinese bureaucrat is questioned for his knowledge of the Mexica empire, gained during the voyage of a forgotten Treasure Fleet.
Series note: A story in Celestial Empire.
Published: In Asimov's Science Fiction July 2007, The Best Science Fiction and Fantasy of the Year, Volume Two (ed. Jonathan Strahan), Night Shade 2008 (1597801240BUY); and The Year's Best Science Fiction: Twenty-Fifth Annual Collection (ed. Gardner Dozois), St. Martin's 2008 (0312378602BUY, 0312378599BUY), v.t. The Mammoth Book of Best New SF 21, Robinson 2008 (1845298284).

Roberson, Chris. "O One"
Divergence: 1424 CE
Summary: In 1924, can Chinese domination of the globe be threatened by the invention of a new mathematical machine in the Occident?
Series note: A story in Celestial Empire.
Published: In Live Without a Net (ed. Lou Anders), NAL/Roc 2003 (0451459253BUY), 2004 (0451459458BUY); The Mammoth Book of Alternate Histories (eds. Ian Watson and Ian Whates), q.v.; and Steapmunk II: Steampunk Reloaded (eds. Ann VanderMeer and Jeff VanderMeer), Tachyon 2010 (1616960019BUY).
Published: On-line on the author's website, date unknown.
Awards: Winner: 2003 Sidewise Award for best short-form alternate history. Nominee: 2004 World Fantasy Award for best short fiction.
Web link: Chris Roberson's website

Roberson, Chris. "Metal Dragon Year"
Divergence: 1424 CE
Summary: In 1940, as China prepares its first manned space launch during a cold war with the Mexica, disaster strikes a training craft.
Series note: A story in Celestial Empire.
Published: In InterZone #213 (December 2007).
Awards: Finalist: 2007 Sidewise Award for best short-form alternate history.

Roberson, Chris. "Gold Mountain"
Divergence: 1424 CE
Summary: From 1962 to 2024, the story of a Vinlander brought to China as a construction worker on the Bridge of Heaven, the first space elevator.
Series note: A story in Celestial Empire.
Published: In Postscripts #5 (Autumn 2005) (eds. Peter Crowther and Nick Gevers), PS Publishing 2005 (1904619428); and The Year's Best Science Fiction: Twenty-Third Annual Collection (ed. Gardner Dozois), St. Martin's 2006 (0312353359BUY, 0312353340BUY), v.t. The Mammoth Book of Best New SF 19, Robinson 2006 (1845294238BUY).

Roberson, Chris. The Voyage of Night Shining White. PS Publishing 2006.

Roberson, Chris. The Voyage of Night Shining White
Divergence: 1424 CE
Summary: In 2024, an Earth dominated by an imperial China which never collapsed prepares an interplanetary fleet, bound for Mars. One spacecraft runs into trouble.
Series note: A novella in Celestial Empire.
Published: PS Publishing 2006 (1904619703BUY, 190461969XBUY). Included in Best Short Novels: 2007 (ed. Jonathan Strahan), SFBC 2007.

Roberson, Chris. The Line of Dichotomy
Divergence: 1424 CE
Summary: In 2051, during the second war between China and Mexica, a Chinese mission to relieve a Mars facility surrounded by Mexica ends up as a stand-off between one soldier from each side, and a contemplation of which side was responsible for the wars.
Series note: A story in Celestial Empire.
Published: BL/Solaris 2007. Included in The Solaris Book of New Science Fiction: Volume Two (ed. George Mann), BL/Solaris 2008 (1844165426BUY).

Roberson, Chris. The Dragon's Nine Sons. BL/Solaris 2008.

Roberson, Chris. The Dragon's Nine Sons
Divergence: 1424 CE
Summary: In 2052, during the second war between China and Mexica, a group of nine condemned men are given the opportunity to redeem themselves by destroying a Mexica space base on an asteroid. Their plans change when they find the base holds Chinese prisoners.
Series note: A novel in Celestial Empire.
Published: BL/Solaris 2008 (1844165248BUY).
Awards: Winner: 2008 Sidewise Award for best long-form alternate history.

Roberson, Chris. Three Unbroken. Solaris 2009.

Roberson, Chris. Three Unbroken
Divergence: 1424 CE
Summary: In 2052-2053, a Chinese-Mexica war for control of the planet Mars.
Series note: A novel in Celestial Empire.
Published: Solaris 2009 (1844165965BUY, 1844167070BUY).
Published: First two-thirds of the book serialized on the BL/Solaris website late 2007 through late 2008.
Web link: Solaris

Roberson, Chris. "Red Hands, Black Hands"
Divergence: 1424 CE
Summary: In 2305 on Chinese Mars, a novelist who believes in bringing rights to women meets a handsome man advocating improvement of conditions in the mines. The viewpoints of either could be treason.
Series note: A story in Celestial Empire.
Published: In Asimov's Science Fiction December 2004.
Published: On-line at infinity plus, February 2006.
Awards: Finalist: 2004 Sidewise Award for best short-form alternate history.
Web link: infinity plus

Roberson, Chris. Iron Jaw and Hummingbird. Viking 2008.

Roberson, Chris. Iron Jaw and Hummingbird
Divergence: 1424 CE
Summary: In 2515, a new rebellion breaks out on Chinese Mars.
Series note: A novel in Celestial Empire.
Published: Viking 2008 (0670062367BUY).

Roberson, Chris. "All Under Heaven"
Divergence: 1424 CE
Summary: In 2650, ….
Series note: A story in Celestial Empire.
Published: In Firebirds Soaring: An Anthology of Original Speculative Fiction (ed. Sharyn November), Puffin 2009 (0142405523BUY), 2010 (0142416924BUY).

Roberson, Chris. "Dragon King of the Eastern Sea"
Divergence: 1424 CE
Summary: In 2675, the first imperial Chinese exploration/transport craft to Alpha Centauri is crippled when after a crew member is killed, its computer begins ignoring commands and instead responds with quotations from conflicting accounts and interpretations of historical events.
Series note: A story in Celestial Empire.
Published: In We Think, Therefore We Are (ed. Peter Crowther), DAW 2009 (0756405335BUY).

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