875: The Three-Body Problem was a Spectacular Read
In this episode, I got ready for the Netflix show by reading the spectacular book…
Friends, friends, friends.
Welcome back to Teatime Reading, where there are always books in progress.
I'll be honest, going into The Three-Body Problem, my expectations were cautiously optimistic. With a few shows in the past, namely The Expanse and Foundation, I have skipped the novels and just watched the show. Since there was a Netflix show, I was very tempted to just watch the show.
However, the reviews of the book were so positive that I decided to read the first book before season 1.
I think I expected that I’d enjoy it, but I didn't anticipate exactly how impressed I would be.. From the very first pages, Liu's plot had me intrigued, and the further I went the better it got. Even though I've always gravitated towards characters in my reading experiences, The Three-Body Problem was so well crafted, that even the secondary emphasis on characters didn’t bother me.
At the heart of this novel was complex physics and even more complex ethical questions around morality, humanity, trauma, and cynicism. There are real battles between extremism, despair, hope, and propaganda that intertwine between the virtual world of the Three-Body game, the mystery in the present, and the trauma of the past, all before we even get to the mind-blowing truth at the center of this story.
Author Liu Cixin, whatever I felt about some of his characters, is a wildly imaginative storyteller. Its sheer ambition and unwavering commitment to pushing the boundaries of speculative fiction left me in awe, even while I had to reread sections to get some handle on the details of the science in this world. Cixin doesn't shy away from challenging his readers with complex concepts and mind-bending thought experiments. From the unsolvable nature of the three-body problem itself to the dizzying unveiling of the larger threat, this novel demanded my full attention and an open mind.
As the book picked up steam, I couldn’t help but fantasize about the immense accomplishment that this book was. Even more impressive, was the consensus that books 2 and 3 were even better.
In the end, The Three-Body Problem exceeded all my expectations. It is not an easy read, or a lazy one. When I picked up this book, I was in a minor reading slump and I thought I was mad to pick up such a dense book to try and escape said slump.
I made it through and I was so impressed. It is still an open question whether I will read the sequels before starting the show or whether I will watch the show first. I have heard that the differences are immense and, ultimately, for the better, so I will contemplate on this decision.
For anyone seeking a thought-provoking adventure, The Three-Body Problem is an excellent book and it is a very early contender for my favorite reads of 2024.
Until next time, keep your bookmarks close.
Peace, Love, Pages.
Note: As Always, Affiliate Links are here for your convenience at no cost to you. All reading was at my own expense.