The Three-Body Problem

By: Cixin Liu

Narrated by: Luke Daniels

Length: 13 hrs and 26 mins

Publisher's summary

Soon to be a Netflix Original series!

“War of the Worlds for the 21st century.” (Wall Street Journal)

The Three-Body Problem is the first chance for English-speaking listeners to experience the Hugo Award-winning phenomenon from China's most beloved science fiction author, Liu Cixin.

Set against the backdrop of China's Cultural Revolution, a secret military project sends signals into space to establish contact with aliens. An alien civilization on the brink of destruction captures the signal and plans to invade Earth. Meanwhile, on Earth, different camps start forming, planning to either welcome the superior beings and help them take over a world seen as corrupt, or to fight against the invasion. The result is a science fiction masterpiece of enormous scope and vision.

The Remembrance of Earth's Past Trilogy:

The Three-Body Problem

The Dark Forest

Death's End

Other books:

Ball Lightning Supernova Era

To Hold Up The Sky (forthcoming)

©2006 Liu Cixin (P)2014 Macmillan Audio

Sufficiently interesting to rise above problems

Based on a good idea and tons of interesting details, the story is a little longwinded. I never got bored, but I felt impatient sometimes. "Come on, dude. Move it along here."

Fortunately, it was really interesting. I am a fan of translated fiction. I loved learning more about China's Cultural Revolution. The way the author looks at things, constructs subplots and interpersonal conflicts is different from the American run of the mill.

The central issues of the book are completely fascinating. There were twists that were really interesting. The explanation for the pool game was completely, totally unexpected. Some talk about dimensionality that was almost thrilling in its imaginativeness.

Don't bother (see full review)

This is a decent novel with some interesting concepts. However, I do not recommend listening to it. The Three-Body Problem is the first in a series, but the next novel is read by an atrocious narrator who is no better than a text-to-speech engine. This novel ends on a cliffhanger, but the next novel is un-listenable. You're better off spending your money on something else.

Cixin Liu's novel contains some interesting sci-fi concepts and has a moderately engaging plot, but the narrative tends to dawdle and falter from time to time and is anti-climatic in some places. Luke Daniels does a mostly passable job; in some parts is narration is too dull, but there's a section in the middle where you can tell he got really into the performance and that part is the most fun to listen to.

I would still recommend this novel if it were not for the fact that the next entry is narrated by a lifeless robot instead of Mr. Daniels.

Unique story with hard science and history

Having this book in my wish list for two years was an injustice to myself; I should have read this book as soon as I heard about it. Maybe I thought a translated sci-fi story couldn't be that great. I don't know. But from the first scene the author proved he could weave hard science, history, and fiction together perfectly. The last part of the book gets a bit out there, but not more than any other sci-fi. I don't know who wouldn't enjoy this book. Maybe if you hate physics.

Definitive, Original, Expansive

This trilogy easily ranks alongside Asimov, Clark, and Card in the Parthenon of greatest hard SciFi works of all time. Reading this series feels like listening to a Neil Degrasse Tyson lecture on Physics and Cosmology - each narrative construct blows your mind in a new totally unexpected way. Words like original and expansive are completely inadequate to describe what has been done here, it's simply unprecedented. A word of warning, like much SciFi you are probably not here for rich characters and pithy dialogue. Characters here are more like representations of human kind used to fully explore the impacts of radical technological progress on human society. This work is very much at the macro scale of human society exploring such lofty concepts as the nature of life in the Universe, the fate of humankind, and how each of us fits into the greater cosmos. The story starts in our past, but don't let that fool you - stick with all three books and you will be taken to places far beyond your wildest dreams.

An excellent work of science fiction

What an excellent story. The Three-Body Problem mixes elements of science, math, history, and mythology, to tell a unique and very human story. 5 Stars!

A new source of sci fi

How interesting to have a very good sci fi novel start in the midst of China's Cultural Revolution! The human similarities and social/cultural differences are striking. The author writes of that time as one who knew it from the inside. I was surprised the book could be published there given its frankness. There are some robust characters, my favorite was the cop Da Shi (Big Shi) who's feet were firmly on the ground, who thought outside the box and was willing to challenge convention. Can't wait to listen to the next in the trilogy. Quality pronunciation of Chinese names added realism to an excellent performance.

One of the best SF I have listened to!

The ideas are fresh, writing is poetic, and story is fascinating! A must read for lovers of the Genre!

the best hard scifi nerd porn epic hints of azim

this is a beautiful introduction to its own ends , 💘 nerd core sci-fi hints of Asimovs and sagan had a lovecraft with heart?

interesting but not much happens.

the conflict you expect never happens. some really interesting concepts at the very end of the story.

Great start

This is my first audio book and I thoroughly enjoyed the story and narration. This is one of those stories that only works as a book and that is a good thing, because the author has done a fantastic job at building a complex world with even more complex characterizations. Now onto the book 2 in the series.