The Three-Body Problem and why I hated it

Booktube video #193
My thoughts on the Three-Body Problem by Cixin Liu.

[@Galva94a]

interesting point of view. I loved the book and read it in three/four days, and loved expecially the creation of the sophons part

[@wyrmbergmalcolm2813]

Delighted that you got enjoyment out of it.

[@karlstone6011]

I feel so much better now about getting half way through, and lost in the unfathomable distances between worlds, having given up! Chronological relation of events seems an odd choice given the character of those events - and how it leaves, almost the whole of the second book without any event occurring relevant to the principle plot. I wondered if it's a cultural thing; within the overall structure of the work, if the second - seemingly superfluous book is not akin to how Chinese art makes use of blank space? Or because it's the three body problem - there had to be three books? Might go back to it. It's not uninteresting or difficult to read, just sparse.

[@maltefiebig9673]

I actually like it a lot (though I breezed through the first book and never felt a desire to go back and reread it like the second or third), but can attest to the fact that nothing is lost in translation. If anything Ken's translation enhances it. Ironically, the Chinese very much reads as if translated from English.

[@wyrmbergmalcolm2813]

Thanks for that insight. Yes, I forgot to mention that Ken did a great job reading it.

[@IanTerronesReads]

I thought the first book was pretty good, but the 2nd and 3rd books are amazing

[@TheKillaBunny77]

I haven’t read the book but was thinking spending a credit on the audible version. I might give it miss if it doesn’t tell the story better than the show. I did see the tv show and while I enjoyed it, the ending was flat and they did a poor job explaining the whole wall-facer thing, it felt tacked on at the end. Also, the whole idea of putting a brain in a box and shooting it across space to speak to aliens was stolen from Lovecraft. Have a read of/listen to Lovecraft’s ‘The Whisperer in Darkness.’ It’s the same idea, but executed in a way that is truly horrifying. No one in their right mind would wish that fate on a friend. That’s the bit I truly disliked about this story. *shudders*

[@wyrmbergmalcolm2813]

I gather the show was the better option. Save your credit for something else.

[@nnr77]

I've had this on my kindle for literally years. I've started it a few times, Never been able to get past a few chapters. The writing/translation just put me off.

[@wyrmbergmalcolm2813]

There's no shame in abandoning a book.

[@TheWeco]

I only read it after seeing the show so that might have affected how I felt about it. I did found it interesting and really liked those long explanations as well. The characters I did struggle with but I think that was aided by the show. The tech side really isn't what the series is about. The more original concepts come with the "cosmic sociology" - what's life like in the universe and how does it interact. The second book to me is far superior to this one as it gets much deeper into that. Might not be the same for you, but it's one of the best pieces out there for me. With the setup here, it's easy to pick up later. Da Shi is the only main returning character so there's a bonus? The third one drags a bit and by the end really gets in deep with the dimensions mentioned here so it might not be your cup of tea. Although if the second one hits hard then there's enough stuff to keep entertained throughout it as well.

[@TheWeco]

Oh and also the trisolaren computer was predicting the position of the three suns and therefore the stable era. So the inputs were the current positions.

[@wyrmbergmalcolm2813]

Thanks, that wasn't made clear.

[@portantwas]

I didn't hate it but don't know if I'll bother reading the next one, The Dark Forest. It needed editing to make the pacing better, so I agree with your comment about the chapter on the folding interdimenstional thingee being unnecessary. There was a really bad chapter where it describes the point of view of an alien communication worker that really ruined the whole manipulative 'fake' aliens in the game that humans players can't take at face value. Anyway, I read it before watching the Netflix show, which I didn't like much at all. The show was confusing and clunky.

[@thekinginthenorf]

The Dark Forest is the best one but unfortunately the best parts are in the second half. The imagination of the author is truly astounding, but his skill as an author in building three dimensional characters falls short. I would recommend it as an audio book you save for long walks

[@akshayhere]

The interdimentional chapter was the best thing about the entire book. What are you on about?

[@wyrmbergmalcolm2813]

I'm 'glad' I listened to it. I wouldn't have finished it otherwise.

[@kempiro]

You might like the Netflix show much better. They really fix the boring characters thing in an ingenious way, and keep the plot moving.

[@wyrmbergmalcolm2813]

I don't have Netflix, and this certainly wasn't the deciding factor to get it. Good to hear they made some improvements, though I doubt that would have been difficult.

[@mikeboosh8776]

I have to say, I really enjoyed the Netflix show and struggled with the books.

[@thekinginthenorf]

the books' weaknesses are that it takes the author's awesome ideas and then tries to cram it in half-assed characters. the scope and imagination in the second book is my favorite of the whole series--but it only gets that good in the second half, which says something about the skill of Cixin Liu as a writer. but his ideas are absolute gems

[@mikeboosh8776]

I got about half way through the second book, then dropped it because I was just bored. I might go back and try to finish it off, but the fact that it feels like a chore to complete rather than an enjoyable thing probably speaks volumes.

[@wyrmbergmalcolm2813]

Unfortunately, none of ideas were new, so I have nothing to latch on to.

[@TheBookclectic]

Oh dear. I finally got around to buying this book a few weeks ago. I've been on the fence about reading it. You have pretty good reading tastes, so I'm feeling pretty convinced I'm not going to like it either! 🙈 (well... except for that whole not liking Frankenstein thing! 😂❤)

[@wyrmbergmalcolm2813]

Maybe with lower expectation you might like it better... Then again, you do like Frankenstein.

[@TheBookclectic]

@@wyrmbergmalcolm2813 😂😂😂

[@pllpsy665]

The book is indeed pretty bad. The thing I don't like the most is that it likes to pretend that it's "hard science fiction" when in fact it is not that at all. It's very psychdelic science fantasy in the vein of the most wacky illogical, implausible Dr Who nonsense wrapped in endless pretentious technobabble bunk and lacking any of the Dr Who charm. The show is actually not that bad.It's a pretty well produced fun show with a talented cast. It never tries to explain the nonscience and just creates a spectacle.

[@PhilChandlerArts]

I was debating getting the book, because this sort of thing fascinates me. But after your review I’m not so sure. I have issues keeping my attention focused reading nonfiction books. Maybe I’ll try the show first. 🤔

[@wyrmbergmalcolm2813]

That would be wisest, might help you get into the book then.

[@Once_could]

Pretty interesting, thank you for the video!

[@wyrmbergmalcolm2813]

You're most welcome 😁

[@xyshomavazax]

TBP’s ideas are cool, but the 2D characters who speak only in expository paragraphs made it hard to finish. The show handles the narrative, characters, and dialogue much better - though there was still too little juice for the squeeze.

[@Lavishlybookish]

The show is definitely better than the book. The book was published almost 20 years ago and it reads like it.

[@wyrmbergmalcolm2813]

I gather they made some improvements and also included content from book 2.

[@sparkspl]

This book feel like Chinese knockoff SF. Hype was so unreal, cos it was unreal.

[@wyrmbergmalcolm2813]

That's the problem with hype, rarely lives up to it. I'd started this before the hype.