Book Review: "The Three Body Problem" by Cixin Liu

 

4/5 stars

*Spoiler alert!*

The Three Body Problem by Chinese science fiction writer Cixin Liu, first in a trilogy named “Remembrance of Earth’s Past,” was a book recommended to me by a relative. Overall, it was a great read, even if I did not understand fully all the scientific concepts discussed, such as the “three body problem.” Let’s just say I had to Google a few things during reading! 

This book primarily takes place in China, starting during the Cultural Revolution (1966-1976), when intellectuals were persecuted in a wider attack against capitalism by communists. It gave me a harrowing glimpse into an era of Chinese history I did not know much about.

Ye Wenjie, daughter of a physics professor at one Chinese university, and an astrophysicist herself, witnesses her father’s death at the hands of the Red Guard during this chaotic time. Understandably, she’s traumatized for the rest of her life and goes on to make a decision that will affect the whole of humanity.

In order to hide from potential persecution by the state, she goes to work at the secretive Red Coast Base, a classified military project involving radio astronomy and the search for extraterrestrial life (SETI). When she receives a transmission in reply to Red Coast Base’s initial transmission about humanity, which basically advises her not to reply to the message, as the alien civilization is looking for a new home and will likely invade her home planet if they figure out where they are.

These aliens, known as Trisolarans (their planet orbits an unstable configuration of three stars), have adapted to weather increasingly hostile conditions, whether hot or cold depending on where the planet is in relation to the suns. They have been trying to better predict the motion of the stars to no avail, as temperature extremes of one or another have ended civilization for varying intervals. They can “dehydrate” themselves and essentially hibernate until conditions are better and they are “rehydrated.” But that’s no way to live and their civilizations are constantly interrupted in their progress.

To reply, or not to reply, that is the question. And Ye Wenjie decides to reply. She goes on to found an organization of people who are pro-invasion and believe that human society cannot advance or solve any of its problems on its own. The organization is named the “Earth-Trisolaran Organization” (ETO). This is the closest the book gets to the idea of a global conspiracy.

Fast forward 40 years and scientists in China are dropping like flies, committing suicide in droves. Wang Miao, a scientist working on a nanotechnology project, is experiencing pervasive visual hallucinations. He gets sucked into a video game called Three Body, where players are trying to figure out how to help a civilization survive “Chaotic Eras” and “Stable Eras” where predicting the motions of the planet’s three stars becomes paramount to survival.

When Wang Miao gets an “in” to the ETO through the Three Body video game, he works with an unconventional detective named Shi Qiang to try an unravel their plans before it’s too late.

Considering I’ve given a fair amount away already, I won’t reveal how the book ends.

The Three Body Problem is an intriguing work of science fiction that to me is reminiscent of classic sci-fi by Arthur C Clarke or Isaac Asimov. For anyone who enjoys the classics, this book is in a similar vein, mystery and political intrigue mixed in, but situated within a different cultural setting and historical context. It’s as much a peek into Chinese history as it is an exploration of science and an ode to the wider universe.

I think it's worth a try.

Happy reading!

--BookOwl