Three-Body Problem
by Cixin Liu, Ken Liu · first published 2008
45% recommend44% neutral11% critical
Why HN recommends it
Hard sci-fi first-contact story packed with original ideas, game theory and big-picture thinking about humanity. Fast-paced with cliffhangers; suits readers wanting something unlike other SF.
Summarised by Claude from recommending comments
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Mentions per year
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For sci-fi recs: I recently read The Three-body Problem by Cixin Liu (a trilogy) and thought it was really good. Also just started another sci-fi trilogy with A Fire Upon the Deep by Vernor Vinge which has some really fun and interesting (if hand-wavy) ideas…
on “Ask HN: 2018 Summer Reading List?” ↗I'm halfway through The Three Body Problem, a science fiction novel by Chinese author Cixin Liu. The apparent irrationality of three-body orbits is central to the story. So far, it's excellent, both as science fiction and as social commentary…
on “New periodic orbits of the three-body problem” ↗The name alludes to a book by Cixin Liu, the second in The Three Body Problem trilogy: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00IQO403K/ This is perhaps the best of a hundred scifi novels I've read in a few years. These novels will make you question the wisdom of sending traceable radio signals…
on “DarkForest: Deep learning engine for playing Go from Facebook research” ↗Great timing. I literally just 2 hours ago finished reading Three Body Problem, a sci-fi book mentioned in the article. The description of sci-fi books, not as predictions about the future, but as allegories for the present, is dead on. As someone who virtually always reads western…
on “Bringing Chinese Science Fiction to the West” ↗Happy to see some great books recommended there. Specifically, let me call out: The Three Body problem. The Lathe of Heaven. And while I haven't read Parable of the Sower yet, everything I've read of Octavia Butler has ranged from really good to some of my favorite books ever, so I'm sure it's a good…
on “YC’s 2018 Summer Reading List” ↗For a captivating exploration of these same ideas in contemporary fiction, try Liu Cixin's The Three Body Problem. As a tip, I enjoyed it much better having not even read the blurb on the back of the book. It spoils events that don't truly unfold until far into the story.
on “Black Hole Propulsion as Technosignature” ↗Relevant (and quite enjoyable) read: The Three Body Problem (novel) https://www.amazon.com/Three-Body-Problem-Cixin-Liu/dp/07653...
on “Are we alone? Tiny spacecraft will head to Alpha Centauri to find out” ↗Cryptonomicon and Snow Crash were great. Others you might: - The Story of Your Life by Ted Chiang (superb short story that Arrival was based on) - The Three Body-Problem (Cixin Liu) - Dune (Frank Herbert) - The Parable of the Sower (Octavia Butler) - Lucifer's Hammer (Larry Niven) - The Kundalini Equation (Steven Barnes)
on “Ask HN: What are the best Sci-Fi books you've ever read?” ↗This is reminiscent of the plot of Cixin Liu’s “Three Body Problem” trilogy of science fiction novels, where an alien race actively interferes with particle physics experiments on earth in order to limit the progress of physics research. Highly recommended for fans of…
on “Particle physics may have reached the end of the line” ↗You are not reading enough science fiction. ;) I would suggest Peter Watts' "Blindsight" or Liu Cixin's "Three Body Problem" trilogy.
on “Greetings, E.T. (Please Don’t Murder Us.)” ↗…in more of the (fictional) uses and problems presented by this technology, you might enjoy reading Cixin Liu's The Dark Forest, which makes some use of hibernation in its plot. It is the sequel to The Three Body Problem, a hard sci-fi book that would probably be enjoyed by a lot of HNers.
on “NASA is bringing cryosleep chambers out of fiction” ↗Lots of dystopian and alternate world sci-fi (most recently read first): 1) The Handmaid’s Tale 2) Off to be the Wizard 3) The Three-Body Problem 4) Good Omens 5) We Are Legion (We Are Bob) 6) American Gods 7) Ready Player One I really enjoyed all of these, though the Neil Gaiman books are rather long-winded. Ready Player One in particular…
on “Ask HN: Books you read in 2018?” ↗The Obstacle is the Way (somewhat encouraging) The Art of Empathy (very interesting) The Three Body Problem (good) The Startup Way (decent) The Politics of Bitcoin (short but interesting) Why We Sleep (very much worth it) The Last Arrow (mixed feelings) The Prize (boring but informative) Superhuman by…
on “Ask HN: Books you read in 2018?” ↗…accumulated a "best of the best" list of my own: Leviathan Wakes - James S. A. Corey (TV show The Expanse is loosely based on this, but IMO doesn't even come close) Revelation Space - Alastair Reynolds Three Body Problem (all 3 books) - Liu Cixin Consider Phlebas - Iain M. Banks (your gateway drug into the Culture universe) Genuinely wish I could experience all the above for the first time again. And looking forward…
on “Ask HN: Recommend one book I need to read this summer?” ↗The Beginning of Infinity by David Deutsch and The Three-Body Problem Trilogy by Liu Cixin. I especially recommend reading this combination. Both books fill up with optimism about humanity. First one by providing framework for infinite progress of humankind. (written by…
on “Ask HN: What are some of the best books you have read in 2022?” ↗