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A review by nilocennis
The Three-Body Problem by Cixin Liu
challenging
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
The Three Body Problem is a remarkable science-fiction novel that takes some very big ideas and explains them effectively without it coming across as an info-dump. It places all of this against the background of a period in Chinese history I know too little about (though translator Ken Liu helpfully fills in some gaps), using this period of political strife as the springboard for the broader plot.
The book has a breakneck pace and rarely lets up; though there were some sequences that fell a bit flat for me (the “game” stuff never totally works), there were also some sequences that are so grand in scope that it’s impossible not to be awed at the sheer enormity of Cixin’s imagination. Characters are a bit stock, but in a fun way, and the entire thing has a very cinematic quality to it.
The only major gripe I have with it is that it feels very much like the first part of a broader story, and
while there is a fine enough conclusion, it also feels like I’m seeing to be continued . . . floating before my eyes.
The book has a breakneck pace and rarely lets up; though there were some sequences that fell a bit flat for me (the “game” stuff never totally works), there were also some sequences that are so grand in scope that it’s impossible not to be awed at the sheer enormity of Cixin’s imagination. Characters are a bit stock, but in a fun way, and the entire thing has a very cinematic quality to it.
The only major gripe I have with it is that it feels very much like the first part of a broader story, and
while there is a fine enough conclusion, it also feels like I’m seeing to be continued . . . floating before my eyes.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicide