The first chapter of The Three-Body Problem stands alone brilliantly, akin to a superb standalone short story. It offers a brief retrospective on the madness of the Chinese Cultural Revolution from the perspective of one of the characters, providing a great foundation (or so it would seem) for the rest of the story. It’s a real pity that not a single moment in the rest of Cixin Liu’s book lives up to this initial promise.
Casual MMO game with robot-like characters
Are scientists dropping like flies? Yes, especially those involved in fundamental research. This reeks of a foul conspiracy, so our protagonists set out to investigate. That is, until a virtual reality computer game takes center stage in their inquiries – from that point on, no one gives a damn about the dying scientists anymore. Instead, we get lengthy descriptions of in-game adventures wrapped in physics and mathematical jargon. Does all this sound interesting? Well, actually… IT. IS. NOT.
What’s even less interesting? The Chinese characters. In The Three-Body Problem, with one exception, everyone is completely unremarkable, as if they were brainwashed robots controlled by a single central will. Ahem. The exception, an overzealous police inspector, is like a half-deaf uncle who loudly tells nonsensical stories at a supposedly restrained family gathering (say, a wake) and occasionally spits on the floor with great gusto.
