Name: The Three-Body Problem
Rating: 4.052005012531328 (798 reviews)
ISBN: 9781427265838

Ken Liu

Liu Cixin

Luke Daniels

The Three-Body Problem

Amira BEN

"Should philosophy guide experiments, or should experiments guide philosophy?

It was impossible to expect a moral awakening from humankind itself, just like it was impossible to expect humans to lift off the earth by pulling up on their own hair. To achieve moral awakening required a force outside the human race

I agree, we actually have seen it with the Cosmological constant set by Einstein and some of Stephen Hawking's work.

"Theory is the foundation of application. Isn't discovering fundamental laws the biggest contribution to our time ?"

Yang hesitated and finally revealed his real concern: "It's easy to make ideological mistakes in theory" 

Edward Steel

Sven Schmidt

Civilization can only develop in the mild climate of Stable Eras. Most of the time, humankind must collectively dehydrate and be stored. When a long Stable Era arrives, they collectively revive through rehydration. Then they proceed to build and produce.

Jasper

In the spot where it once stood, the weight of the fallen tree being dragged left a deep channel in the layers of decomposing leaves that had accumulated over the years. Water quickly filled the ditch. The rotting leaves made the water appear crimson, like blood.

Tem Nugmanov

It was impossible to expect a moral awakening fromn humankind itself just like it was impossible to expect humans to lift off the earth by pulling up on their own hair. To achieve moral awakening required a force outside the human race.

1967: University student Ye Wenjie witnesses Red Guards beat her father to death during the Cultural Revolution. His crime? Failure to recant his belief in science. This singular event will shape not only the rest of her life but also the future of mankind. Four decades later, after a spate of apparent suicides among elite scientists, Beijing police ask nanotech engineer Wang Miao to infiltrate a secretive cabal that styles itself the Frontiers of Science. During the course of his investigation, Wang is inducted into a mysterious online game that immerses him in a virtual world ruled by the intractable and unpredictable interaction of its three suns. This is the Three-Body Problem and it is the key to everything. The key to humanity's place in the cosmos and the key to the extinction-level threat it now faces.

Three-Body Problem

Ye Wenjie's past was very well done in the initial chapters. Everything she went through and it's connection to the political environment of China at that time made the base for her later actions. Initially the 3body game felt very much like a side quest but it set up the context around Trisolarians very well. The science behind sophon project was very imaginative and the way Earth's science was locked at their current level couldn't be better. The stakes rose very quick and it gives the end of the world feeling without having any actual attacks at all. Ye Wenjie should have learned not to trust anybody before she casually handed over humanity to (they will make earth better and not simply conquer it) ALIENS.

Abhishek Sharma

"Wildly imaginative, really interesting." —President Barack Obama on The Three-Body Problem trilogy The Three-Body Problem is the first chance for English-speaking readers to experience the Hugo Award-winning phenomenon from China's most beloved science fiction author, Liu Cixin. Set against the backdrop of China's Cultural Revolution, a secret military project sends signals into space to establish contact with aliens. An alien civilization on the brink of destruction captures the signal and plans to invade Earth. Meanwhile, on Earth, different camps start forming, planning to either welcome the superior beings and help them take over a world seen as corrupt, or to fight against the invasion. The result is a science fiction masterpiece of enormous scope and vision. The Remembrance of Earth's Past Trilogy The Three-Body Problem The Dark Forest Death's End Other Books Ball Lightning (forthcoming) At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

ikkychan

Humanity has looked up to the sky and pondered its place in the vast universe since time immemorial. We have stared and gazed at the stars and heavenly bodies from one corner of space to the other, wondering what mysteries they hold and their connection to our existence. With every twinkle of the distant suns, every fiery tail of a passing comet, and every dark spot of a black void, we think to ourselves about the possibility of other sentient beings among the hundreds of millions of galaxies out there. If we’re not alone, surely they would also look up to outer space with the same musings as we do? And if we were to reach out a friendly handshake to them, would they also eagerly welcome it with open arms? Liu Cixin’s The Three-Body Problem lets these questions pester and plague the mind of its reader, forcing them to confront a harsh but irrefutable argument: if we humans have not been able to show benevolence to our own brethren, why do we think extraterrestrials would? Set against the backdrop of China’s Cultural Revolution, the novel follows Ye Wenjie, an astrophysicist whose disillusionment with humanity leads her to make a fateful decision that alters the course of human history. Decades later, a series of strange occurrences—scientists committing suicide, a mysterious countdown appearing in front of researchers' eyes, and a virtual reality game called Three-Body—draw the protagonist, Wang Miao, into an unfolding mystery that reveals the existence of an extraterrestrial civilization, the Trisolarans, who are on their way to Earth. It brings us to a world where scientific discovery intersects with existential threats, forcing humanity to confront its place in the universe. One of the novel’s most compelling aspects is its exploration of scientific concepts, particularly the titular three-body problem in orbital mechanics. Liu Cixin seamlessly integrates real physics into the story, using it as both a plot device and a metaphor for the unpredictable forces shaping civilizations. TheThree-Body game serves as an ingenious narrative tool, allowing both the characters and the reader to gradually uncover the history and struggles of the Trisolaran civilization, whose unstable planetary system has led them to seek a new home. The novel's slow-burning tension builds as Wang Miao and his allies come to understand not only the nature of the Trisolarans but also the presence of human collaborators who welcome their arrival, believing that extraterrestrial intervention is the only way to save Earth from its own self-destructive tendencies. Beyond its scientific depth, The Three-Body Problem offers a fascinating reflection on history, politics, and human nature. The Cultural Revolution looms large over the story, not merely as a setting but as a defining force that shapes Ye Wenjie’s worldview. Her experiences—watching her father be denounced and beaten to death by radicalized students, being forced into labor, and witnessing the suppression of scientific thought—lead her to a nihilistic conclusion: that human civilization is fundamentally flawed. This ideological thread runs throughout the novel, raising questions about whether humanity is worth saving and whether an external force could serve as a catalyst for progress or merely accelerate destruction. Liu’s portrayal of Ye Wenjie is particularly striking; she is not a villain in the traditional sense, but rather a deeply wounded and disillusioned individual whose choices, while extreme, are grounded in personal conviction. While the novel excels in its conceptual and thematic depth, it is not without flaws. I find the characters, particularly Wang Miao, somewhat flat compared to the novel’s intricate ideas. Wang functions more as an observer than a driving force in the story, often reacting to events rather than shaping them. Additionally, Liu’s writing style, particularly in translation, leans heavily on exposition, with long passages devoted to explaining scientific theories. While this approach enhances the novel’s intellectual appeal, it occasionally slows the narrative momentum, making certain sections feel more like a textbook than a thriller. It is as engaging as it is dense. Despite these minor shortcomings, I would not dispute the fact that this book is one of the most remarkable pieces of science fiction I encountered so far. It challenges traditional narratives of first contact, replacing the optimism of cooperation with the cold logic of survival. Liu Cixin presents a universe that is not welcoming or benevolent but governed by ruthless natural laws, where intelligence does not guarantee morality or progress, but simply the ability to endure. This perspective sets the novel apart from Western science fiction, offering a fresh and unsettling take on humanity’s place in the cosmos. For readers who enjoy scientifically rigorous storytelling and philosophical inquiry, The Three-Body Problem is an essential read—one that lingers in the mind long after the final page.

lovedd this book! one of my favorite insights into sci-fi and actually let me give the genre a chance. it was a super addictive read and i couldn't sleep without finding out what happened next

rionapm

Shawn Camp

The Three-Body Problem starts cold and technical but quietly turns into a brutal, emotional story about losing faith in humanity. The science is big and strange, yet what lingered for me were the people—especially Ye Wenjie and Shi Qiang. It’s not always smooth or easy to read, but by the end it felt disturbingly plausible and genuinely haunting.

Amazing foundation for the trilogy, it's a shame many people drop the book because it's a slow burn when it sets you up to some of the BEST books you'll ever read in your life (book 2 and 3) though I completely agree there are moments where the story takes a really slow pace. But the payoff is much worth it.

Dapid Kurniawan

Set against the backdrop of China's Cultural Revolution, a secret military project's signal is received by an alien civilization on the brink of destruction, which plans to invade Earth; meanwhile, on Earth, different camps start forming, planning to either welcome the superior beings and help them take over a world seen as corrupt, or to fight against the invasion.

Perhaps one of the best sci-fi books I’ve read. The way it gets you understand strange theories of physics, while keeping up the pace of an investigating story it’s incredible. Once you get into it it’s impossible to stop. 

Vanni Sacconi

Seo L

Lost in translation maybe. The TV show was really good and I'm considering whether to continue this trilogy.

Anna

Steph

This is only 4.75 stars for me because I just can't brain the science-y stuff in the book. But don't get me wrong, the writer and translator did their best to explain everything but some parts are just too much for me. Too much information to absorb. Especially the last 10% of the book. The Three-Body Problem is a fast-paced science fiction book that grasps your attention from the very first page. There's so much going on and the author did not sugarcoat any of the history. She showed us how brutal the Cultural Revolution was and how this chapter in history impacted the present-day in the book. I like how the author explored the theme of humanity in the book. The good, the bad and the ugly. She showed us that when you push someone to their limits, they will lose hope in all of humanity and kickstart something that might doom all of humanity. The twist was beyond my imagination and it definitely exceeded my expectations. I was baffled by how a single action can have such a ginormous effect. But I think that's the beauty of this book. How Cixin Liu masterfully planted clues throughout the book and masterfully weaved all the pieces together so when you finally get the full picture, it feels almost satisfying like you've cracked the master mode in a video game. I can't wait to see how Netflix is going to adapt this book and I hope it will do justice to the book.

Sara T-son

It was overly technical for me, but interesting premise.

Very good premise but I kept waiting for something 

Jesper Nellemann Jakobsen

Very good premise but I kept waiting for something more to happen.

aishah

Emily

The Three-Body Problem is the first chance for English-speaking readers to experience this multiple award winning phenomenon from China's most beloved science fiction author, Liu Cixin.Set against the backdrop of China's Cultural Revolution, a secret military project sends signals into space to establish contact with aliens. An alien civilization on the brink of destruction captures the signal and plans to invade Earth. Meanwhile, on Earth, different camps start forming, planning to either welcome the superior beings and help them take over a world seen as corrupt, or to fight against the invasion. The result is a science fiction masterpiece of enormous scope and vision.

A VR game, three unpredictable suns, and one woman's grudge against humanity walk into a bar — and somehow 450 years later it's everyone else's problem

Jehan Chawla

wait a second.... i've never subscribed to 'best genre' or categorizing yourself into even a favorite but science fiction is really growing on me. human resilience and hopeium is a beautiful thing to be carrying with you always. never understood and/nor/or gates as simply as broken down into their 1 acre qin 1.0 software #retiredcsmajor. very cool to semi map to my chinese history class this semester as well. the original chinese version has been sitting on my bookshelf... hopefully next year. ken liu the goat for keeping pun translation notes. the bookstore i got it from was built right near the dock where my aunt would come up from the countryside to stay with my parents. something about healing cycles or wtv right.

I love this book for so many reasons -- how passionate and knowledgeable the author is about physics and how it's seamlessly incorporated into this story (genuinely forgot what was real physics and what was sci fi.... it was so so epic). the plot is so good, the characters are well thought out (women in stem wins), and the three body game is literally so cool I was geeking out the whole time. READ THIS!

vindhya

Simply lovely. The last chapter is mind-blowing, the comparison with locusts is brilliant and so relevant in today's world with AGI research ongoing

Ricky

Justice for Wang Miao’s unnamed (medical doctor!!) wife and son. Gone and entirely forgotten as he fucks off in pretentious VR and what seems like irl version of the most annoying discord server you’ve ever heard of

Caroline

nuha ✨️

at its core, a treatise on technological progress and its promise.

its treatment of the cultural revolution is consistent with the contemporary cpc's – wrong, misguided, violent.

liu also makes a strong case for communitarianism and prioritisation of The Community, and provides an empathetic origin story for a carcinogenic communitarianism by way of the survival story of the Trisolarians.

his portrayal of intra-species interaction, to me, is a critique of realism in international relations, and how vicious cycles of bad-faith often lead to disaster. merely an allusion in this book, his dark forest theory of life, is what i believe would be expanded on in the  sequel

overall it is imaginative conceptually, and broad thematically: creative depiction of extraterrestrial intelligence, thoughtful discourses on epistemological boundaries, nothingness, scientism as ideology, misanthropy, critique of technocracy, and more

i have to say i am underwhelmed, obama hyped it up too much for me. taira said in response not to trust obama. touché

Ghee

at its core, a treatise on technological progress and its promise.

its treatment of the cultural revolution is consistent with the contemporary cpc's – wrong, misguided, violent.

liu also makes a strong case for communitarianism and prioritisation of The Community, and provides an empathetic origin story for a carcinogenic communitarianism by way of the survival story of the Trisolarians.

his portrayal of intra-species interaction, to me, is a critique of realism in international relations, and how vicious cycles of bad-faith often lead to disaster. merely an allusion in this book, his dark forest theory of life, is what i believe would be expanded on in the  sequel

overall it is imaginative conceptually, and broad thematically: creative depiction of extraterrestrial intelligence, thoughtful discourses on epistemological boundaries, nothingness, scientism as ideology, misanthropy, critique of technocracy, and more

i have to say i am underwhelmed, obama hyped it up too much for me. taira said in response not to trust obama. touché

Trisurya - The Three-Body Problem

It’s been such an interesting journey reading this, seriously! It’s so excitinh but at the same time, so depressing. I can’t even explain how I feel—like I’m thrilled, but also totally overwhelmed by how heavy it is. There’s a lot of scientific terms that can be a bit confusing, but I genuinely enjoyed the whole story. You really feel the chaos and destruction of humanity on Earth—people who just never learn to be grateful, LOL. 😄😄 But it’s all explained scientifically, which makes it even more fascinating.  What’s really cool is how there seem to be three worlds here: the world on Earth, the one in the game, and then this other perspective that can see both worlds at the same time. And the fun part? The game world is actually connected to reality!  As I read further, it just got more and more messed up, and now I’m even more curious about what’s going to happen next. It’s such a wild ride! 🥹🤍👍

div. ☆

O Problema dos Três Corpos

Muito bom. Tem conceitos científicos que as vezes são um pouco difíceis de entender para quem não tem familiaridade com o assunto, mas nada que impeça a compreensão da história.

Já sabia um pouco da história antes de iniciar a leitura, mas ainda assim fui surpreendida em alguns momentos pela trama. 

Só não dei 5 estrelas pois achei a maioria dos personagens rasos, inclusive o protagonista. Ainda assim, é um excelente livro de ficção científica que deve ser lido por todos que gostam do gênero. Estou muito ansiosa para ler os próximo livros da trilogia.

Muito bom. Tem conceitos científicos que as vezes são um pouco difíceis de entender para quem não tem familiaridade com o assunto, mas nada que impeça a compreensão da história.

Já sabia um pouco da história antes de iniciar a leitura, mas ainda assim fui surpreendida em alguns momentos pela trama. 

Só não dei 5 estrelas pois achei a maioria dos personagens rasos, inclusive o protagonista. Ainda assim, é um excelente livro de ficção científica que deve ser lido por todos que gostam do gênero. Estou muito ansiosa para ler os próximo livros da trilogia.

the first 2/3 of this book took me three months to read, then the last 1/3 took me one week, because it took a while for my interest in the story to really pick up. i persisted through the dense + technical first 2/3 despite having no idea what was happening, because i was curious enough to keep reading when i remembered to. then, when everything finally started adding up in my pea brain, i actually felt drawn in + compelled to see what would happen next.

however, i don’t consider that a flaw of the book at all—i think that’s just my struggle, being an average-minded person, which was worth seeing through. the deep exploration of scientific concepts really makes this story unique. i’ve never read anything like this, and it makes me appreciate how there are some stories that only one person on earth can tell.

loved the author’s note and translator’s note a well

julia

the first 2/3 of this book took me three months to read, then the last 1/3 took me one week, because it took a while for my interest in the story to really pick up. i persisted through the dense + technical first 2/3 despite having no idea what was happening, because i was curious enough to keep reading when i remembered to. then, when everything finally started adding up in my pea brain, i actually felt drawn in + compelled to see what would happen next.

however, i don’t consider that a flaw of the book at all—i think that’s just my struggle, being an average-minded person, which was worth seeing through. the deep exploration of scientific concepts really makes this story unique. i’ve never read anything like this, and it makes me appreciate how there are some stories that only one person on earth can tell.

loved the author’s note and translator’s note a well

My standards for sci-fi have officially been skyrocketed by this book. 

Reading progress started off slow during the first third of the book, before I got hooked on and picked up speed the further I got into it. Operation Gu Zheng was fantastic and if I do watch the Netflix series, I hope they pull off that scene well. 

Absolutely love Officer Da Shi and hope we get to see more of him in the rest of the trilogy!!

Overall, this book made the discomfort of being insignificant in the bigger picture of the entire universe so much realer, yet more easy to come to terms with. 

Personally, some fundamental understanding of astrophysics and quantum mechanics would help with understanding the science behind the set up and final twist at the end.

veralyn

My standards for sci-fi have officially been skyrocketed by this book. 

Reading progress started off slow during the first third of the book, before I got hooked on and picked up speed the further I got into it. Operation Gu Zheng was fantastic and if I do watch the Netflix series, I hope they pull off that scene well. 

Absolutely love Officer Da Shi and hope we get to see more of him in the rest of the trilogy!!

Overall, this book made the discomfort of being insignificant in the bigger picture of the entire universe so much realer, yet more easy to come to terms with. 

Personally, some fundamental understanding of astrophysics and quantum mechanics would help with understanding the science behind the set up and final twist at the end.



The Three-Body Problem

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