The Three-Body Problem is a science fiction novel written by bestselling author Cixin Liu of the People’s Republic of China and translated by writer Ken Liu. Winner of the Hugo Award, this novel is a fantastic work of fiction that brings together the ideas of physics, extra-terrestrial life, and technological advancement, and combines that with elements of politics, history, and war to create a unique setting and storyline that propels the reader further into its detailed plot. The story’s fascinating development brings this work to a profound level within the science fiction genre, which is why I place it at a somewhat higher level of books I’ve read. Mainly, the narrative of the Trisolaran civilization, their history and communications with Earth, as well as their virtual reality representation on our plane, are the most enjoyable parts of this novel, personally. I also found the storyline during the Chinese Cultural Revolution to be another greatly interesting aspect of this novel.  

To summarize for my readers: Wang Miao is a nanomaterials researcher who is working on a particle accelerator project within his home country of China. But while he continues his work, a series of strange occurrences plague his consciousness. A series of burning white numbers illustrates a countdown before his own eyes, the cosmic microwave background seen from our Earth flickers like a dying lightbulb, and multiple deaths have occurred to members of a mysterious society called the Frontiers of Science. He soon learns of an extra-terrestrial society faced with the dilemma of constant destruction and rebirth and an organization planning to welcome its invasion. He is then permanently wrapped up in the multigenerational problem of a society called Trisolaris and The Three-Body Problem. 

However, my summary is not even close to explaining the complicated and elaborate story that The Three-Body Problem expresses. This novel is an enormous undertaking to read but delivers in story to those who take the challenge. I would recommend it to anyone who is well versed in the science fiction genre and is interested in an elaborate take on extra-terrestrial life or those who enjoy representations of history in their reading (to which this novel includes many references). Readers: please give this novel a chance to be read and enjoyed; I wish you all happy reading!