The Three-Body Problem reviewed

There are many reasons why you might be an avid fan of sci-fi works. These books stir your imagination while introducing fascinating worlds and characters.

If you want to explore titles of non-English authors, a Chinese science fiction work called The Three-Body Problem is a great place to start. This book review will delve deep into the title and see if it’s something you’d be interested in reading (no spoilers ahead).

Introducing the author – Cixin Liu

The author of The Three-Body Problem is Cixin Liu, who rose to prominence after publishing a fascinating story called Song of Whales (Jing Ge) in 1999. Shortly after the release, it was clear Cixin would go on to be one of the most accomplished Chinese sci-fi writers.

The predictions proved accurate. Cixin has won several awards for his first book and other titles. These include the Chinese Nebula Award and the Galaxy Award, the Chinese equivalent of the Hugo award.

In addition to The Three-Body Problem, Cixin wrote many other novels in the Remembrance of Earth’s Past series, including Death’s End and The Dark Forest.

What is The Three-Body Problem about?

The book is set during China’s Cultural Revolution. It follows Ye Wenjie, a college student caught in the midst of this momentous event. Her father, Ye Zhetai, a physics professor in Beijing, is killed by the Red Guard for alleged pro-Western, anti-Communist viewpoints.

One of her father’s killers was Wenjie’s mother, Shao Lin.

A couple of years after these disastrous events, Wenjie ends up in a labor camp where she is given a difficult task – cutting down trees.

At the camp, she meets a reporter Bai Mulin. He informs her that people are ravaging Earth’s environment, urging Ye Wenjie to help him plead with Chinese authorities. The reporter wants the government to curb their deforestation, and Wenjie assists by transcribing his letters.

However, her willingness to help backfires as the government is furious and wants to deal with the writer of the letter. Bai panics and blames it all on Wenjie.

Wenjie is certain the authorities will torture her, but they don’t. Instead, they take her to Radar Peak, named after the huge antenna sitting atop. Within this shadowy mountain, the government has constructed a military base.

After cutting down trees in the labor camp, Wenjie receives a new task. Military physicists ask her to help them track down and destroy enemy satellites.

A few years into her cooperation with the military, Wenjie discovers the true purpose of the base. It was designed to make first contact with extraterrestrial life.

She not only makes it, but she also receives a warning from an alien who lives on the planet Trisolaris (a planet orbiting three suns). He implores her not to respond. Otherwise, his fellow Trisolarans will invade Earth. Wenjie ignores the warning.

The decision is now up to Wenjie, Wang Miao, and other select individuals – should they fight the alien race or welcome it and overthrow the tyrannical government with its aid?

The Three-Body Problem review

The Three-Body Problem is a unique novel that places a particular emphasis on many scientific principles. For instance, it explores how a planet that orbits multiple suns can sustain life.

The writer masterfully tackles surreal concepts too. For example, he introduces sophon, a particle that can store information by changing dimensions. He maintains high levels of consistency throughout the novel, which is hard to do in sci-fi.

Beyond hard science, the book also explores philosophical concepts. The most important is whether or not humanity should be saved.

This question doesn’t come out of the blue. The protagonist, Ye Wenjie, is confronted with this dilemma after experiencing the horrors of the Cultural Revolution. The death of her father and other events has largely shaped her views on humanity.

The takes on sociology are another strong point of this book. The author brilliantly describes the social issues that plagued the Chinese during the Cultural Revolution. He explains how they affect certain people and how they shape their decision-making.

The Three-Body Problem is similar to other well-written novels, such as Solaris by Stanislaw Lem. Even though it’s a sci-fi novel, it deals with many realistic and believable subjects.

The same goes for the hard sci-fi (hard sf) concepts discussed by various characters, including nanomaterials, particle physics, information theory, astrophysics, general relativity, and quantum entanglement.

How the author handles timeline management is also admirable. The story takes place in the past, present, and future, which could easily disorient you if told by a less competent writer.

Thankfully, Cixin is a highly competent writer who effortlessly handles transitions between different timelines, weaving them to form a common narrative.

As for the pacing, it’s hard to find fault with this novel. It’s a relentless book that constantly surprises you with its cerebral twists. In fact, it contains more plot twists than many thrillers and mysteries. There are even action scenes that occur through a virtual reality game.

The pacing makes the story thought-provoking and turns this book into quite a page-turner. While it may be tempting to finish the plot quickly, you’ll need to slow down at certain points to understand all the concepts.

The translator Ken Liu helps you do so. His footnote explanations of Chinese history and other areas allow non-Chinese readers to enjoy this masterpiece.

The only major downside of the plot is that there might be too many characters. Some of them are meaningful, but others don’t seem to have a lot of depth to them and merely serve to advocate ideas.

Nevertheless, The Three-Body Problem is definitely worth reading.

Listen to Cixin Liu novels on Speechify Audiobooks

The Three-Body Problem is a gripping novel, but you may want to take a break from the written word. If so, turn to Speechify Audiobooks.

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FAQ

Is The Three-Body Problem a difficult read?

The Three-Body Problem is a moderately difficult read. You’ll need to pay special attention to many sections to avoid missing key plot points.                      

What is the message of The Three-Body Problem?

The main message of the novel is that the human race can be so evil that it makes others think about whether it’s even worth saving.

What is the difference between The Three-Body Problem and other books?

Unlike some other sci-fi books, The Three-Body Problem adeptly tackles philosophy, sociology, and many other topics.

What genre does The Three-Body Problem fall into?

The Three-Body Problem is a science fiction novel praised by the New York Times and many other household names for its Arthur C. Clarke-like style. You can find it on Amazon and similar platforms.