03 Jun Book Review: The Three-Body Problem by Liu Cixin

When I first picked up The Three-Body Problem by Liu Cixin, I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect. Published in 2008 in China and later translated into English in 2014, this novel has been lauded for introducing Chinese science fiction to a global audience. Liu Cixin, often referred to as China’s Arthur C. Clarke, crafts a narrative that intertwines hard science with profound philosophical questions.​

What’s it about?

The novel opens during the tumultuous years of China’s Cultural Revolution in the late 1960s. Ye Wenjie, an astrophysicist, witnesses the brutal public execution of her father, a physics professor, by fervent revolutionaries. This traumatic event, coupled with her subsequent persecution and forced labor, instills in her a deep disillusionment with humanity.​

Ye’s expertise eventually leads her to a covert military installation known as Red Coast Base. Situated in a remote region, this facility’s ostensible purpose is to develop advanced communications technology. However, Ye soon discovers its true mission: to search for extraterrestrial intelligence and establish contact. During her tenure, Ye devises a method to amplify radio signals using the sun as a medium, enabling messages to be sent deep into space. Acting on her own initiative, she transmits Earth’s coordinates and a message expressing a desire for contact.

Years later, Ye receives a response from a distant planet named Trisolaris, located in the Alpha Centauri system. The Trisolaran sender warns against further communication, revealing that their planet suffers from extreme and unpredictable climate fluctuations due to its unstable orbit around three suns—a phenomenon known as the three-body problem. This instability has led to repeated cycles of civilization collapse and rebirth on Trisolaris. Despite the warning, Ye, disillusioned with human nature and believing that external intervention could be beneficial, invites the Trisolarans to Earth.

Fast forward to the early 21st century, and we meet Wang Miao, a nanotechnology researcher. Wang becomes embroiled in a series of inexplicable events: prominent scientists are committing suicide under mysterious circumstances, and he begins experiencing unsettling phenomena, such as seeing a countdown timer superimposed in his vision. His investigation leads him to an enigmatic virtual reality game called “Three Body.’

In the “Three Body” game, players are immersed in a world plagued by unpredictable and extreme climate changes, oscillating between Stable and Chaotic Eras. The inhabitants of this world struggle to develop a civilization that can withstand these harsh conditions. Wang deduces that the game’s world is a simulation of Trisolaris, designed to recruit and educate individuals about the Trisolaran plight.​

As Wang delves deeper, he uncovers the existence of the Earth-Trisolaris Organization (ETO), a clandestine group formed by individuals who, like Ye Wenjie, have lost faith in humanity. The ETO’s members are divided into factions with differing ideologies: the Adventists, who eagerly anticipate the Trisolaran invasion, believing it will cleanse the Earth; the Redemptionists, who view the Trisolarans as divine beings; and the Survivors, who aim to negotiate and collaborate with the aliens to ensure their own survival.​

The Chinese government, upon discovering the impending threat, initiates Operation Guzheng, a military strategy aimed at combating the ETO and mitigating the influence of the Trisolarans. This operation involves a coordinated assault on the ETO’s stronghold, resulting in the capture of key members and the acquisition of crucial intelligence about the Trisolaran plans.​

Throughout the narrative, themes of science, philosophy, and human nature are intricately woven. The novel explores the ethical implications of scientific discovery, the potential consequences of first contact with extraterrestrial life, and the resilience (or fragility) of human civilization when faced with existential threats.​

What This Chick Thinks

A Cerebral Exploration of Science and Society

Liu Cixin’s background in engineering is evident in his meticulous attention to scientific detail. The novel delves deep into complex topics like quantum mechanics, astrophysics, and orbital mechanics. While this adds a layer of authenticity, it can sometimes feel dense. Readers without a strong science background might find certain sections challenging, but the effort to grasp these concepts is rewarding.​

Rich Cultural and Historical Context

Setting the story against the backdrop of the Cultural Revolution provides a unique lens through which to explore themes of ideology, persecution, and the human condition. Ye Wenjie’s experiences during this period profoundly shape her worldview and decisions, adding layers of complexity to her character.​

Character Development

While the novel excels in presenting grand ideas and a compelling plot, some characters, particularly secondary ones, feel underdeveloped. Wang Miao serves as an effective protagonist to navigate the unfolding mystery, but his personal motivations and inner life aren’t explored in depth. Ye Wenjie stands out as the most fleshed-out character, with a poignant backstory that drives much of the narrative.​

Pacing and Structure

The narrative structure, oscillating between past and present, effectively builds suspense and gradually reveals the larger picture. However, the pacing varies; some sections are gripping and fast-paced, while others, laden with scientific exposition, slow down the momentum.​

Philosophical Undertones

Beyond the science and plot, the novel poses profound questions about humanity’s place in the universe, the nature of civilization, and the moral ambiguities of progress. It challenges readers to reflect on how humanity might respond to existential threats and the lengths to which individuals might go when disillusioned with their own species.​

Final Thoughts

The Three-Body Problem is a thought-provoking and ambitious work that pushes the boundaries of science fiction into philosophical territory. It’s not just a story about aliens or physics—it’s about how humans cope with knowledge beyond their understanding, how trauma and ideology can ripple through generations, and how fragile, and potentially brilliant, civilization can be.

This isn’t a comfort read. It asks a lot of the reader—attention, curiosity, patience—but it gives a lot back. If you love speculative fiction that’s more than just laser beams and warp drives, if you like your sci-fi with brains and stakes, this is one to sink into. I’d give it a solid 9 out of 10.

Try it if you like:

• Anathem by Neal Stephenson A cerebral sci-fi epic that also explores philosophy, math, and civilization-level thought experiments. Dense but deeply rewarding if you’re in the mood to think.
• Solaris by Stanisław Lem Another haunting first-contact story, this time on a mysterious ocean planet. It shares that same sense of existential weight and unknowable alien intelligence.
• Children of Time by Adrian Tchaikovsky A sprawling saga of evolution, survival, and what it means to be “intelligent life.” Features a similar combination of hard science and imaginative world-building.