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SF with Chinese Characteristics
Feb. 10th, 2025 11:11 pmAug 2023
The Three-body Problem – Liu Cixin, tr. Ken Liu – Head of Zeus, 2014
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I'm amazed he got away with it. This novel opens with a depiction of the Cultural Revolution that is decidedly less than complimentary towards the Communist Party, emphasising the brutal repression and shaming that forced Chinese academics into conformity. It motivates one of the main characters, Ye Wenjie, though she isn't the main viewport character. That is Wang Miao, a materials scientist who, along with crude but effective detective Da Shi, is co-opted into an international investigation of the deaths by suicide of several prominent scientists. The trail leads to a mysterious organisation known as the ETO and a virtual reality game called Three Body. Wang becomes increasingly obsessed with the game, which may hold the key to the mystery.
This is a hard science fiction novel that reminded me strongly of my teenage explorations of the books of Arthur C. Clarke. Like them, it suffers from cold characterisation and an overly talky plot that only occasionally bursts into action, but the ideas on which it is based are top notch and the Chinese historical and cultural themes make it a more interesting read than its western equivalents. It won't be for everyone, and it's annoying that the book just ends in media res, but I will probably pick up its sequels to see what happens next.
