REVIEW: The Three-Body Problem by Cixin Liu
Publishing information: Hardcover; 400 pages
Publisher: Tor; 9780765377067
ISBN: 9780765377067
Series: Remembrance of Earth's Past #1
Copy: Out of Pocket
Reviewer: Tyson
Amazon
Synopsis: "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."
Three Body Problem has been sitting on my bookshelf for quite a while and it has took a long time for me to get around to reading it. It probably would have sat there for a lot longer if it wasn't staring at me every time I looked at my shelf. So I finally decided to dig in and check it out.
The book opens up as China is experiencing their communist revolution and life in China is flipped on its head. Ye Wenjie watches as her father is murdered for being a physics professor. Forced to leave the city she takes a role working outside the capital but is drawn back in when she is "asked" by the Chinese government to help with a top secret program. The other protagonist is Wang Miao, Wang is attempting to uncover the reason behind so many Chinese Physicists are committing suicide. Liu does a great job of weaving the two stories together.
While I wanted to like Three Body Problem, the pace and the constant historical footnotes dragged the story a little too slowly for my tastes. I can see why the book and the series is considered a modern classic in China (and it most likely will be abroad as well). However, I just couldn't get into it. Others may enjoy the book but it just didn't entertain me like I was expecting it to do.
Overall 6/10
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