Lianke’s fourth novel The Four Books was shortlisted for the Man Booker International Prize last year and was one of my favourite new discoveries last year. Translated from the Chinese by Carlos Rojas, ‘The Explosion Chronicles’ follows three families - the Kongs, the Zhus and the Chens - who compete to turn their small village into a super metropolis. His latest novel to be translated into English is another absurdist satire which criticises corruption, capitalist excess and China's rapid economic growth with impressive detail and I enjoyed the way the book is presented as a history of the town as a sort of miniature account of what has happened to the country in general. Unfortunately, I don’t think 'The Explosion Chronicles' has the same raw power as ‘The Four Books’ and I didn't feel particularly invested in the characters - perhaps this is because I am not very familiar with the history that Lianke is satirising here. However, I would still recommend 'The Explosion Chronicles' to those who are interested in modern Chinese history and/or enjoy surreal fiction.