The Three-Body Problem: Deluxe Limited Edition (The Three-Body Problem Series Book 1)

It's hard to know where to begin talking about The Three-Body Problem trilogy (officially known as the Remembrance of Earth's Past series), a truly staggering piece of science-fiction written by Chinese author Cixin Liu and translated to English by Ken Liu and Joel Martinsen (Liu did books 1 and 3, while Martinsen did 2). A trilogy that spans literally thousands of years, deals with quantum physics, game theory, sociology, religion, space exploration, space colonization, and more, all driven by the nature of first contact with alien intelligence - there's a lot going on in this series, and that's before you start realizing just how much Cixin (reminder: Chinese names are traditionally written with the family name first and the given name second) truly takes on the advanced science of his ideas. And yet, when you finish it, you realize that you've read something truly incredible - a piece of hard science-fiction whose ambition, scope, richness, and ideas are impossible not to find yourself thinking about for days afterward.The series begins with The Three-Body Problem, which opens during the Chinese Revolution, depicting the conflict between science and politics in stark, honest terms -a theme that the series will grapple with often, in wildly different ways. We flash forward, though, to a near future, where scientists are killing themselves for unclear reasons. What this has to do with the characters from that Revolution-era prologue, a government program attempting to reach out to the galaxy in search of alien intelligence, and a complex computer simulation of a civilization subject to bewildering rules of nature, Cixin takes his time to explain. But what becomes clear quickly is that The Three-Body Problem is, in a way, a novel about first contact, and how humanity will react to a race whose purposes for coming here may not be entirely benevolent.If you're thinking that all of this sounds like a basic setup for an alien invasion novel, rest assured, that is definitely not what you're getting with The Three-Body Problem. Instead, Cixin explores the social implications of such an arrival, and deals head-on with the complex questions that it would cause. Would humanity band together in the face of this, or would our already existing divisions fracture even deeper? Would people be terrified of this advanced race, or would they be viewed as gods? And would people truly feel that humanity is worth saving, or would they welcome a race who could bring out peace, even through subjugation? These aren't simple ideas, but Cixin makes them the meat of the book, along with advanced discussions about the alien planet, which is governed by three suns, leaving their homeworld incapable of safe habitation (the source of the novel's title).More than that, Cixin takes no shortcuts in his story, embracing hard science-fiction as a way of dealing with his scenario. Communication across multiple light-years, limited telescopic technology, the disconnect between human and alien intelligences, relativity, black holes - all of this is relevant to the book, and while Cixin makes it accessible, be aware, this book doesn't spoon feed you its physics. You're going to have to come with some willingness to think about the advanced concepts on display and ponder them, from gravitational forces to quantum computing. It's not pure technobabble, but it's a challenging read at times, and assumes its readers have the willingness to take on its science. If you do, though, what you'll get is a complex, fascinating book about first contact, one that's not quite like anything else I've read in how it handles the questions that such a contact would bring about. And while it's the first book in a trilogy, none of that keeps the book from standing on its own, leaving room for further exploration but existing as a single piece of work that's already remarkable on its own.To explain this series is a difficult challenge, to put it mildly. This is a series that spans a huge amount of time, deals with advanced scientific concepts in complex terms, grapples with rich philosophical and political ideas, debates questions without easy answers, and gives you a scope that can be daunting. It's a story of alien invasions, yes, but one in which the action sequences we're so used to are replaced with existential dread, a rethinking of our own lives, and a fear of the unknown that's hard to quantify. It's also the story of people caught up in these times, trying to give themselves a good life while never forgetting the larger questions of their era, and juggling their own fears with fears for humanity. In other words, it's what hard science-fiction is great at - thoughtful questions, big ideas, and speculation, all of which change the way you think about the world.This series is a truly incredible achievement, one that honestly left me a bit staggered and reeling as I attempt to think about it all, but one that I love all the more for what it accomplishes. If you're a hard science-fiction fan, or simply someone who loves dealing with the complex ramifications of common ideas, this is a must read series. I've never read anything like it in my life, and I'm a richer person for the ideas it's inspired me to think about.

This story is thought experiment Sci Fi at it's best.After finishing the book, I have revised this review from 5 to 4 stars:Something Ken Liu said in his translator's note at the very end: "The best translations into English do not in fact read as if they were originally written an English. The words are arranged in such a way that the reader sees a glimpse of another culture's pattern of thinking…. rhythms,.. cadence… ” This book gets 4 solid stars from me because 90% of it was awesome. The other 10% I think was designed for a non-American audience, and I am willing to accept it as part of the story because the rest was so good.The book had me absolutely riveted by page 20 or so. The metaphor of the game Three Body was incredibly well-done. I had the feeling that this part of the book was written first, and the rest of the story sprang from that idea. It was creative and interesting and well written, and it permeated the whole novel. The end of the book with the “real” Three Body and the introduction of new characters was not interesting. It was pretty silly, honestly, and I think most American audience members will see these last couple chapters as worn-out and hackneyed. I suspect it was part of the original, but should not have made it into the translation in the same form. It should have been a catalog of transmissions or conversations on the ship Judgement Day or an appendix or…anything besides what it was. I found it uninteresting and silly.90% off the book, 5 stars easily.

It’s been a few days since I finished this book, and after digesting the novel, I think I’m ready to share some thoughts. First, I freely admit that part of the appeal of this book comes from the novelty of reading a translated Chinese novel - it did not disappoint.The TranslationBefore I start talking about the book, I need to point out that the translator, Ken Liu, did beautifully. The prose is quite good, and Ken Liu did a marvelous job of retaining the differences in style and sentence construction between Chinese and American writing. I always appreciate metaphors, similes, analogies, etc. that are written by someone from another part of the world. We Americans have our preferred methods of explaining ideas, but reading these new voice from across the Pacific Ocean was quite refreshing.The NovelThe basic plot of The Three-Body Problem is relatively simple and is set against the backdrop of the Chinese Cultural Revolution. (Talk about a moment in history that gets glossed over here in ‘Murica. I knew nothing about this period in Chinese history. It's totally fascinating.) The action centers around several scientists who gaze at both the very large and the very small. Through a series of discoveries, deaths and mysteries, the problem of the three-body system presents itself as a big dumb object plot ...well, kinda - but it works very well. It’s unfortunate that the dust-jacket blrubs all spoil the fact that aliens are involved - it’s a rather neat moment when it happens, and it would have been even niftier if I hadn’t known it was going to happen. Stupid publishers. (But not so stupid that we want you to stop publishing! Just clarifying…)The science behind the titular three-body problem is also totally cool and mind-bendy (if you just run to Wikipedia and search for “three-body problem” it’ll kick back a basic overview of the concept), and one that I have never read about before. But Cixin Liu uses a sleek virtual reality video game to show slowly explain to the reader the erratic effects of a three-body solar system and how such a system would affect an orbiting planet, and the result is simple to understand and quite brilliant.To be fair, the plot does move very quickly, and the pacing occasionally feels uneven. Certainly most Western readers would balk at this, but I wonder if the novel's pacing is just part of the cultural differences between us and the Chinese. In addition, some reviewers have commented on the fact that Cixin Liu does a lot of telling rather than showing, and I agree, however, again I wonder how much of this is a difference between Western and Eastern expectations.If you’re looking for an American comparison, I would compare the novel’s pace and scope and the author’s writing style to Robert Charles Wilson, Greg Bear, or a long-winded Arthur C. Clarke, all of whom write about huge physics ideas using engaging plots, but no one would ever claim that their plots are “super exciting.”Overall, this is a fantastic novel, and a fantastic beginning to an already successful trilogy. The Three-Body Problem deserves a place on the bookshelf of Science Fiction Awesome alongside other classics such as Eon, Spin, and A Fire Upon the Deep. If this novel is indicative of the SciFi hiding in the East, then publishers, start hiring more translators and bringing these gems to the States. China’s first imported SciFi novel is a jewel indeed.P.S.Dear publisher,The dust jacket blurb claims that The Three-Body Problem contains the “scope of Dune and the rousing action of Independence Day.” So...you're saying it’s like...Star Wars? Yeah, no - not even close. The trilogy might reach the scope of Dune eventually, but it barely leaves Earth in the the first novel. And as far as the “rousing action” of ID4, not by a long shot. This is a very slowly paced novel that focuses not on rousing action scenes, but on the aftermaths of action scenes, and conversations, and explanations. Will Smith it is not. Every once in a while a bullet will fly, but not very often at all. Surely you can come up with better ways to call this novel a classic and hook people rather than comparing it to Dune or ID4. Just sayin.’

The story is well researched and laid out for the reader. Some technical areas take time to understand, but it is worth it to follow the story line well. Looking forward to the next part in the story!

It’s an amazing book, difficult to describe though. To really appreciate the book a reader has to commit an undivided attention to it. It feels like immersing into a slow moving powerful river with all the tributary joining it and giving us more clues.We finally see the big picture and it’s awesome and terrifying at the same time- because it really can happen!I’m in awe of the author imagination and erudition. I also admire a fantastic job of the translator- Ken Liu ( any relation to the author?). I think the quality of his translation contributes to the book success.I’m moving now to start reading the part two of the trilogy. Can’t wait!

Es una novela alucinante y compleja

Uma estória surpreendente, única e rica, uma ótima surpresa.

Truly a great novel from Cixin Liu

Cixin Liu, if there is any chance that you see this review, I want to say a huge thank you. I absolutely loved The Three Body Problem and its two sequels. This trilogy of books has had a profound impact on me and I will remember them until the day I die. This first book alone makes all of Hollywoods sci-fi movies which feature alien invasion completly bland in comparison. The challenges facing the aliens and humans and what they did to either overcome them or try to overcome them were super interesting and very clever. The first book explores sci-fi ideas (virtual reality, artificial intelligence, advanced cutting materials, dimension folding and so much more) in ways that drive the story forward and open doors for further exploration and discovery. I really like the fact that the author has a background in engineering and that he leverages this to add a touch of realism to his sci-fi concepts, all of which are really imaginative. The horror elements of this book are done amazingly and in such a unique way as well. I could write at length so much more but I don't want to give any spoilers.I actually finished reading this book about 6 months ago and forgot to write a review for it! After I finished this book, I immediately bought the second book in the trilogy 'The Dark Forrest' and immediately after that 'Deaths End'.