Name: Anthony Teo's review of The Three-Body Problem by Ken Liu
Item: The Three-Body Problem
Rating: 4.5
Author: Anthony Teo

Ken Liu

Liu Cixin

"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.

The Three-Body Problem

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.

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.

Jasper

Over the western horizon, the sun that was slowly sinking into the sea of clouds seemed to melt. The ruddy sun dissolved into the clouds and spread over the sky, illuminating a large patch in magnificent, bloody red.

'My sunset,' Ye whispered. 'And sunset for humanity.'

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.

After a spate of apparent suicides among elite scientists, nanotech engineer Wang Miao is asked to infiltrate a secretive cabal. During his investigation, Wang is inducted into a mysterious online game that is the key to humanity's place in the cosmos and the key to the extinction-level threat it now faces.

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.

Read the award-winning, critically acclaimed, multi-million-copy-selling science-fiction phenomenon - soon to be a Netflix Original Series from the creators of Game of Thrones. 1967: Ye Wenjie witnesses Red Guards beat her father to death during China's Cultural Revolution. This singular event will shape not only the rest of her life but also the future of mankind.

Four decades later, Beijing police ask nanotech engineer Wang Miao to infiltrate a secretive cabal of scientists after a spate of inexplicable suicides. Wang's investigation will lead him to a mysterious online game and immerse 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 the scientists' deaths, the key to a conspiracy that spans light-years and the key to the extinction-level threat humanity now faces.

Edward Steel

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

Amira BEN

"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" 

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

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

Truman M Halladay

Anthony Teo

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

The kind of science fiction that takes place right on Earth. You can tell the author has an appreciation for the sciences in the many references to technology, present and future. I have to thank my undergraduate studies in allowing me to understand some of the concepts too. Now I want to watch a visual adaptation of this book.

Throckmorton

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.



First chapters was preparation to what is to come, it was a little all over the place. But afterwards, last 150 pages was goes by like a wind! Author questions and looks into philosophical concepts as well. A good summer sci-fi read. Looking forward to read next books. 

Umit Bulut

First chapters was preparation to what is to come, it was a little all over the place. But afterwards, last 150 pages was goes by like a wind! Author questions and looks into philosophical concepts as well. A good summer sci-fi read. Looking forward to read next books. 

If you liked Contact or Arrival movies, you can read this or vice versa. 

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.

Chris Dailey

High sci-fi with a focus on quantum mechanics, philosophy and politics. Flashing backwards and forwards over the course of 50 years in China, the novel starts during the Cultural Revolution and evolves from a singular narrative into a fast-paced page turner. Incorporating VR, suicidal scientists, collaborating heads of state and extraterrestrials, the story is mainly about isolation, cynicism, the individual vs. the state, the power of science and adaptation. The translation holds up well, but certainly loses some power of prose. This is a narrative forward book focused on (outer)world-building and delivers thought-provoking concepts with a few "ohhh" moments.

Princess Doe 

I haven’t had this kind of experience reading a book in a long time. Actually one of the best science fiction books I have ever read

Sebastian Leck

Bizarre, intense, funny, moving, fascinating. It reminds me a little of Kurt Vonnegut, if he wrote about China's Cultural Revolution and philosophized about planetary movements and sub-atomic particles. I read it in two sittings and it's definitely one of my favourite books I've read this year.

Be warned, though, that there are some gory descriptions of violence that could be disturbing.

Luke Daniels

"The Three-Body Problem" by Liu Cixin is a fascinating and thought-provoking science fiction novel that explores complex themes of science, politics, and human nature. The story begins with a mysterious and intriguing premise involving a secret military project during China's Cultural Revolution. As the narrative unfolds, readers are introduced to a virtual reality game that simulates an alien world with unpredictable environmental conditions, hinting at the larger cosmic mystery at play.

Liu Cixin masterfully combines hard science fiction elements with an engaging plot, creating a compelling narrative that challenges readers to think deeply about the nature of the universe and humanity's place within it. The characters, while sometimes feeling secondary to the grand ideas and scientific concepts, serve to drive the story forward and add emotional depth to the overarching plot.

Overall, "The Three-Body Problem" is a remarkable entry into the science fiction genre, offering a unique blend of scientific rigor and imaginative storytelling. It's a must-read for fans of hard science fiction and those looking for a novel that stimulates both the intellect and the imagination.

Erwin Lemuel Oliva

"The Three-Body Problem" by Liu Cixin is a fascinating and thought-provoking science fiction novel that explores complex themes of science, politics, and human nature. The story begins with a mysterious and intriguing premise involving a secret military project during China's Cultural Revolution. As the narrative unfolds, readers are introduced to a virtual reality game that simulates an alien world with unpredictable environmental conditions, hinting at the larger cosmic mystery at play.

Liu Cixin masterfully combines hard science fiction elements with an engaging plot, creating a compelling narrative that challenges readers to think deeply about the nature of the universe and humanity's place within it. The characters, while sometimes feeling secondary to the grand ideas and scientific concepts, serve to drive the story forward and add emotional depth to the overarching plot.

Overall, "The Three-Body Problem" is a remarkable entry into the science fiction genre, offering a unique blend of scientific rigor and imaginative storytelling. It's a must-read for fans of hard science fiction and those looking for a novel that stimulates both the intellect and the imagination.

Sanjay Krishna 

went into this blind and the way the book drew me into such complex ideas with beautiful imagery and prose was absolutely amazing. 

Wingyan Chan

lala

I read this book in English, but the following review is in Indonesian. 

Mantap sih. Jujur. Awalnya agak kurang termotivasi atau gimana karena gak paham sama Revolusi Kebudayaan Cina yang jadi sebagian latar cerita novel ini. Tapi karena udah suka sama tulisan Cixin Liu setelah baca The Wandering Earth, bela belain ngabisin waktu untuk baca baca dan nonton YouTube soal Revolusi Kebudayaan dulu supaya ngerti maksudnya apa. Menurut gue ngerti eksten dari dampak Revolusi Kebudayaan kepada orang-orang yang mengalami jaman itu penting buat paham keputusan-keputusan yang diambil sama karakter di buku ini. 

Yang gue suka dari buku ini salah satunya adalah penjelasan ilmiah yang mudah dimengerti, dan sesuai dengan jalur cerita jadi bacanya nggak “hah?”, penjelasannya juga gak kompleks dan ngejlimet. Padahal bisa dibilang banyak konsep fisika yang dibahas di novel ini, tapi gak ada yang bikin bingung. Mungkin ada beberapa yang pakai istilah teknis tapi gak muter-muter penjelasannya. Kadang bahkan serasa lagi baca buku sains populer pas penjelasan ilmiahnya. Logika alur ceritanya masuk akal, kesinambungan antara satu kejadian ke kejadian lain terjalin dengan baik. Di tengah agak terasa ada bumbu-bumbu misterius dan/atau konspirasi yang bikin bukunya susah banget buat berenti dibaca!! Tapi jujur, salah satu karakter utamanya, Wang Miao kurang menarik untuk diikuti, lebih menarik ngikutin jalur pikirnya Ye Wenjie, salah satu karakter penting berporsi banyak di novel ini. 

3/4 dari baca novel ini masih ada beberapa pertanyaan yang belom kejawab, terus langsung diborong terjawab di bab-bab akhir, agak aneh sih pacingnya tapi tetep masuk akal?? Semua pertanyaan besar terkait plot ceritanya terjawab dengan baik di akhir buku dan pembaca ditinggalkan dengan rasa penasaran dengan harapan tinggi untuk karakter-karakter di dalam bukunya. Puas banget habis baca buku ini, dan agak sedikit sedih dan hampa juga karena nyelesainnya terlalu cepet hahaha.. tapi gak sabar banget buat baca lanjutannya!! ❤️❤️✨✨

I liked this most when it felt like what it wasn't (historical fiction) and least when it felt like what it definitely is (hard sci fi). I appreciated the questions it explored and I'm glad to have read it. I'm also glad to be done with it.

elizabeth

Omar 

without a doubt, three body problem is one of my favourite books of all time

it is the exact kind of measured, philosophical, deeply intelligent and profound work that science fiction must be. As you live through the tale, you also inevitably expand your worldview, and heed the authors warnings of various technologies and turns of events. Unique to three body is the equal amount of knowledge gained about philosophy, sociology, and cosmology. You can safely say that you are a more learned, more wise individual once you cross the sea of this book.

At the same time, there is no lack of entertainment and genuine excitement to be derived from the work. Yes, so much intelligence is woven into the tapestry of the book, but it remains riveting, entertaining, and beautifully distilled. The emotions of its events is enhanced by the inherent emotion that the exploration of science and space has - awe, wonder, fear; they backdrop the events of the story and enhance them in the way the place an art piece is hung influences the pieces perception. 

Above all, the author has a deep deep love for science and space, and this love has allowed him to delve deeper into the science than many stories have. It allows him, then, to cast magic at his readers: for the average individual, it is difficult to see where to separate science from science fiction, where the reality ends and the imagination begins. He keeps enough cards in his sleeves, showing them to the audience in bursts of misdirection, that you are left wondering if the events of his novel could ever really transpire. This is an enchanting feeling, that few books can elicit.

This same love transmits to the reader across the wavelength of the book, carried from one continent to another by words and phrases and events. You’re left with an impression of an author so deeply and passionately in awe of the universe, yet just as eager to consume it while. It ignites in you a love for this same topic, or perhaps it rekindles it, and sets a fire of childlike wonder and curiosity in the mind. Suddenly, I feel eager to explore some of the things mentioned in the book, eager to pick up a treatise on cosmic sociology, eager to delve into the science of the stars. That feeling is irreplaceable.

Luke Harkness

Fascinating but comes with a warning

I'll get the warning right of of the way: this book heavily revolves around theoretical science. This means there are many terms, many explanations and a whole load of times you may be confused. However I don't want this to dissuade people as it is a fascinating insight into how earth could really communicate with extraterrestrial life. This is not an easy read with a smooth flowing story, but as stated: it is a fascinating one!!

Lindy

In order to enjoy The Three-Body Problem you must have some level of appreciation for Asimov and Clarke and their outdated/wrong ideas about civilization, science, and "progress." If Foundation or Childhood's End make you bang your head on a table, so will this.

Pedro Figueiredo

I loved the story, but It would have benefited from a better translation - hence the 3 stars. The sequel, which I started on straight after, seems to have fixed this.

vanessa

this was conceptually very interesting but i’m not sure the prose really lured me in.

Loved every page. What a mind Liu Cixin has, and what a remarkable bit of translation Ken Liu has done. A useful guide to the cultural revolution and brain bend-ingly smart bit of sci-fi. 

Daniel Bower

Loved every page. What a mind Liu Cixin has, and what a remarkable bit of translation Ken Liu has done. A useful guide to the cultural revolution and brain bend-ingly smart bit of sci-fi. 

On to the next book.

Tobias V. Langhoff

A really refreshing take on science fiction and first contact scenarios, with a cultural backdrop that was very unfamiliar and almost as alien as the actual alien society in the story. The cultural revolution sets the stage for the inception of an interesting antagonist that changes the fate of the human race. Like how communists dampened science during the cultural revolution, in the present day a global conspiracy is hampering science and causing scientists to die mysteriously or commit suicide. We follow a family through the revolution, the cold war and to the present day, with a gallery of characters that made me grateful for Kindle’s X-Ray feature.

Apart from the Chinese history and criticism of the cultural revolution (which makes me wonder how the book was published without incident), there are a lot of interesting sci-fi concepts in this book: SETI and first contact, virtual reality, quantum mechanics, astrophysics (like the eponymous three-body problem of orbital mechanics), alien culture and physiology (although we only learn bits and pieces in this first novel in the trilogy), nanotechnology, and much more.

The first half of the book I couldn’t really decide whether or not I liked it. Stuff happened that I didn’t see how the author would resolve. A lot of fantastical stuff occurred that seemed like magic out of a fantasy novel. The protagonist experiences unexplainable and supernatural “miracles”, for lack of a better word, that challenge his world view.

These parts reminded me of the Arthur C. Clarke quote “Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic”, because everything that occurs is ultimately “explained” with quantum mechanics (and perhaps a few info-dumps too many) around the half-way point. The book is actually reasonably hard sci-fi although some things are too crazy to actually be possible.

By the end of the book, the only criticism I really had left was that the translations of dialogue seemed a little stiff, or else literal, verbatim translations of the Chinese dialogue that didn’t really sound natural in English – but in the translator’s end notes, he defended that as a conscious way to retain the way culture impacts how people speak to each other – a bit like a weak Whorfian concept.

Here is a fan-made soundtrack for the book: https://site.douban.com/TBOST/room/13...

Anton

A different kind of sci-fi. 

I’ve enjoyed reading this book because of it’s accurate scientific details. It is nice to read how some scientific theories can be connected into a book.

Very imaginative world-building with lots of speculative science. If you hate reading very physics-y sci-fi, I would skip, but if you enjoy that kind of thing, would definitely recommend!

Anthony Teo &
The Three-Body Problem by Ken Liu

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