Chinese sci-fi hits peak after success of Three-Body trilogy

The Three-Body Problem by Liu Cixin failed to win the Nebula Award on Saturday, but the book has still made history as the first Chinese sci-fi novel to enter the shortlists of two of the top fantasy awards in the world - the Nebula and Hugo awards.

Having sold more than 1 million copies since it was first published, the success of Liu's Three-Body trilogy has not only put the media spotlight on Chinese sci-fi, but also drawn wider attention to the once small science fiction market in China.

According to a report earlier this year on the publishing industry journal China Book Review, the number of new sci-fi titles published has been growing since the Chinese version of Liu's Three-Body trilogy was published at the end of 2010. In 2012 there were nearly 200 new sci-fi books published - a peak for the niche market.