The Three-Body Problem by Liu Cixin is the first novel in the ‘Remembrance of Earth’s Past’ trilogy. It chronicles the richly layered background against which humans first made contact with extraterrestrial life and the immediate consequences that follow. Spanning over half a century set mostly in China, the narrative follows various characters and sources to shape the terrifying story of humanity. Of them, the two main characters that we as readers become familiar with are Ye Wenjie, a physicist from the era of the Cultural Revolution, and Wang Miao, an experimental physicist specializing in nanomaterials in the modern age.
While Wenjie begins the story and essentially sets it in motion, Wang is the one who is passed the torch to see the beginning of the end to its final moments. Interspersed with this main storyline are chapters following the plotline of the fictional game universe of the Three-Body virtual game, which supplements the concepts of the primary narrative. It isn’t easy to describe this novel’s plot any more than this without spoiling it entirely. It is about human frustration, trauma, and the pain we cause each other and how it drives us to acts that might bring about our extinction. And of course, it is about the marvelous world of science and technology; and how it plays into all that is human.
While the characterization in the novel is not always the best and can often feel flat, the ideas and concepts in the story far outweigh any flaws in character building. For the most part, it is not difficult to understand the motivations of any character, however, in a lot of sections the characters (particularly Wang Miao) are mostly the vessels through which the story is unfolded, making this a plot-driven narrative more than a character-driven one. Rather than any particular character as an individual, this narrative tells the story of humanity as a whole.
The worldbuilding is intricate and overall, the story is incredibly well-thought-out. As the best stories of this kind do, it plays out like a perfect chain reaction that seems inevitable, adding to the deep-seated horror of the reader. Liu Cixin in this author’s note at the end of the book mentions that he wished to convey the sense of magnificent beauty and awe that he saw within science and the secrets it exposed of the universe. To that end, the novel is a resounding success—the story truly evokes a sense of peaceful wonder at the vast brilliance of the universe and how truly small we as a species are within it.
This is one of the most bone-chillingly terrifying science fiction novels to exist in modern times, and, at the same time, one with the most hope for humanity. The best science fiction makes you believe it is a possible reality; it makes you realize it isn’t far from fact. This is the terror The Three-Body Problem employs with skillful precision—blending cosmic horror with the terror of the very tangible reality of human society in a perfect balance. Yet, it also carries the unabashed optimism for this insignificant human race. It is hopepunk at its finest. I would highly recommend this to science fiction fans, people who enjoy the concepts of science and technology, and especially to Doctor Who fans.
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