The Three-Body Problem is a novel by Cixin Liu, translated into English by Ken Liu. It was first published in China in 2006, and it won the Galaxy Award for Best Chinese Novel of the Year. An English translation was published in November 2014. The book tells the story of an alien invasion of Earth that begins with probes being sent from outer space to observe humanity. One such probe captures the attention of two scientists who begin to independently work on solving its mysteries; one is driven mad trying to decode its secrets while another becomes obsessed with using it as a weapon against their enemies. As they near a breakthrough, government officials become aware of their activities and move to stop them before they can cause any damage or disclose sensitive information about our world to potential invaders.
For who is this book for ?
This book is for people who are interested in science fiction and would like to read a novel that takes place during an alien invasion.
Pros :
- It is an exciting and well-written story that will keep you engaged from beginning to end.
- It is a unique take on the alien invasion story, and offers something different than what readers may be used to.
- The characters are interesting and complex, and you will quickly become invested in their stories.
Cons :
- The Three-Body Problem is a long and dense book that may be difficult for some readers to get through.
- The plot can be confusing, as it jumps back and forth between different characters’ perspectives on the same events.
- It’s not always clear what is happening or why, making the story difficult to follow at times.
Learn more about the author
Cixin Liu is a Chinese science fiction writer. His work has been translated into English and won the Hugo Award for Best Novel in 2015.
Reader Reviews
“The Three-Body Problem is a novel of the highest order, and one that quite frankly towers above most books being published today in terms of scope, imagination, ambition and execution.”
“Another Hugo Award win for Ken Liu, translator extraordinaire and sci-fi genius. If you haven’t had the pleasure of reading any of Cixin Liu’s books yet, this is a great starting point – it won the Galaxy Award in China and was nominated for a Hugo award.”
“The Three-Body Problem is a science fiction novel written by Cixin Liu, and it was published in China in 2006. The English translation of the novel was released on November 11th, 2014. The book tells the story of an alien invasion that begins with probes being sent from outer space to observe humanity. One such probe captures the attention of two scientists who begin independently working on solving its mysteries; one becomes obsessed with decoding its secrets while another tries to use it as a weapon against their enemies. As they near a breakthrough, government officials become aware of their activities and move to stop them before they cause any damage or disclose sensitive information about our world to potential invaders.”
“One of the most popular and highest-rated Chinese science fiction novels ever, it’s finally being translated into English. If you’re a fan of Ender’s Game or Stephen King’s Dark Tower series, this is one book you don’t want to miss.”