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4.26 AVERAGE
4.26 AVERAGE
Oof.
This book gummed up my book reading for over a month and I almost quit reading it multiple times. I will say the end got A LOT better - it took me almost a month to read the first 2/3 but I finished the last 1/3 in a few days.
I did really enjoy Three Body Problem although part of that enjoyment was the backdrop of the Cultural Revolution for the start of the story and the foregrounding of the only compelling character in the series so far - Ye Wenjie
There are no interesting characters in this sequel. Not a one. There are still lots of interesting imaginative and compelling ideas concepts and themes at play - but there are also equally a lot of needless excursions into different concepts and plans that fill tons of pages and add up to nothing.
Basically nothing really happens until the last two hundred pages or so. Instead of things happening you get “people” theorizing and endlessly discussing what might happen, how it might happen, what they should do about it happening and categorizations of what different people think about possibilities of it happening. (I put “people” in quotes because every character is basically just a cipher for a point of view or idea. )
Also there is a huge subplot about a character creating and falling in love with an imaginary fantasy woman (who is devoid of independent personality and exists only to bring him joy) - bad enough. But then they find a REAL But then they find a REAL PERSON who is just as pathetic a half assed misogynist creation who exists only to love and inspire the male character.
Also everything in this series is set up to be about a race for development of technology yet somehow hibernation technology is fully achieved and possible and is a mature tech I guess discovered off “camera”?
I didn’t love this book if you couldn’t tell. Undecided what to do about book 3 now that I’m two books in. Might just read a summary.
This book gummed up my book reading for over a month and I almost quit reading it multiple times. I will say the end got A LOT better - it took me almost a month to read the first 2/3 but I finished the last 1/3 in a few days.
I did really enjoy Three Body Problem although part of that enjoyment was the backdrop of the Cultural Revolution for the start of the story and the foregrounding of the only compelling character in the series so far - Ye Wenjie
There are no interesting characters in this sequel. Not a one. There are still lots of interesting imaginative and compelling ideas concepts and themes at play - but there are also equally a lot of needless excursions into different concepts and plans that fill tons of pages and add up to nothing.
Basically nothing really happens until the last two hundred pages or so. Instead of things happening you get “people” theorizing and endlessly discussing what might happen, how it might happen, what they should do about it happening and categorizations of what different people think about possibilities of it happening. (I put “people” in quotes because every character is basically just a cipher for a point of view or idea. )
Also there is a huge subplot about a character creating and falling in love with an imaginary fantasy woman (who is devoid of independent personality and exists only to bring him joy) - bad enough. But then they find a REAL But then they find a REAL PERSON who is just as pathetic a half assed misogynist creation who exists only to love and inspire the male character.
Also everything in this series is set up to be about a race for development of technology yet somehow hibernation technology is fully achieved and possible and is a mature tech I guess discovered off “camera”?
I didn’t love this book if you couldn’t tell. Undecided what to do about book 3 now that I’m two books in. Might just read a summary.
Fun sci-fi elements. Some cool things I haven't seen in sci-fi before. Enjoyed the mix of sci-fi, philosophy, and logical thought experiments.
Ironically, the most outlandish thing to me wasn't the sci-fi, it was the relationships (looking at you, Luo Ji). I probably would've given this 4 stars, but the character relationships and interactions were so stilted I struggled connecting with anyone in the story.
Ironically, the most outlandish thing to me wasn't the sci-fi, it was the relationships (looking at you, Luo Ji). I probably would've given this 4 stars, but the character relationships and interactions were so stilted I struggled connecting with anyone in the story.
The story is so cringey at parts, but the key moments and ideas still really, really SHINE
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Third party mutually assured destruction! I really enjoy this series, looking forward to the third book.
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
challenging
informative
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
A re-read after several years. I like the scientific concepts and theory.
This is a really interesting and unusual series. I continue to enjoy the writing and probably liked book #2 even better than the first. The pacing is uneven - long stretches with minimal "action" followed by major shifts covered in a few words - but I kind of liked that. It seemed consistent with the way the characters were experiencing things. The depiction of the only real female character/love interest was laughable and off-putting though.
I wanted to enjoy this book. I really did. But the overt sexism & complete lack of any compelling plot in the first 100 pages prevented me from reading any further.