REVIEW: ‘The Three-Body Problem’ Is A Thriller By Way Of Science Fiction

This review includes minor spoilers for The Three-Body Problem.

The three-body problem in physics is a theoretical problem that describes the motion of three celestial bodies under their mutual gravitational attraction. It is notoriously unsolvable with a closed-form equation, meaning there is no single formula that can predict the trajectories of all three objects from any set of initial positions and velocities. In other words, the system is inherently chaotic. Even the most minute changes to initial conditions lead to drastically different outcomes. It is simply impossible, with our current understanding of physics, to accurately predict how a three-body system will interact over an extended period of time. It's worth noting that the problem can be simplified and solved if one of the bodies has significantly less mass than the other two (like the Earth, Moon, and Sun), but it becomes chaotic when all three bodies have comparable masses.

This basic understanding of the three-body problem was all of the knowledge I brought into my first read of Liu Cixin's groundbreaking science-fiction novel, The Three-Body Problem. Reading through the novel (translated by Ken Liu) was an experience of wonder and tension. I'd seen the praise for the book - it's hard not to if you're plugged into the sci-fi literary world at all, and the Netflix adaptation certainly helped bolster its awareness - but I didn't really know what the book was about. It turns out it's about quite a lot, but the aspect I found most surprising was just how much it feels like a thriller.

The Three-Body Problem brings a lot of elements to the table. It dives into cosmology, virtual reality, politics, history, technology (future and ancient), and philosophy, exploring all of them. It switches between modes seamlessly, keeping the reader engaged while consistently drip-feeding new information. This consistent trickle of information isn't revolutionary; it's how novels work, but the way it's presented in Three-Body is addictive. Every discovery feels like a revelation.

Understanding scope is crucial when telling a story. Stakes have to be determined, promises to the audience have to be made, and paid off. Is this an end-of-the-world story, or is it about a character getting out of a localized, isolated problem? It's important in any story, but in science fiction it commonly manifests itself in determining how far into the future the story is set, how technologically advanced the world is, whether interstellar travel is possible, and whether aliens exist. Three-Body has an answer for all of these, and it executes them brilliantly.

Liu Cixin masterfully escalates the stakes of the story in Three-Body. The narrative evolves across multiple time periods with distinct point-of-view characters bringing their own flavor to the tale. Things start relatively contained but consistently grow in scope until the entire planet and beyond hang in the balance. Liu understands how to realistically bring the story to unbelievable points. Where the narrative ends up would feel incredulous if told out of context, but each step towards getting there feels like a completely logical evolution.

Three-Body is a first contact story played out as a thriller. I've never read a book with as much sheer awe wrapped in growing dread. And when the chips are all down, when you reach the moments of final revelation, when all the pieces fall into place, the entire book feels so obvious in hindsight. Feeling obvious isn't a critique; it's an accomplishment. It is taking a test with all the answers. It's reaching the end and realizing this is the only possible way things could have happened. It's a feeling of inevitability.

The Three-Body Problem is heralded as a groundbreaking science fiction novel. It injects its narrative with questions of existence, meditations on the universe, advancements in technology throughout history, and the place politics has in science. While it easily earns its spot among the greatest sci-fi novels of all time, it should also be considered one of the most engaging, awe-inspiring, and enlightening thrillers on bookshelves.

Rating: ★★★★★