The Dark Forest (The Three-Body Problem Series, 2)

It's hard to know where to begin talking about The Three-Body Problem trilogy (officially known as the Remembrance of Earth's Past series), a truly staggering piece of science-fiction written by Chinese author Cixin Liu and translated to English by Ken Liu and Joel Martinsen (Liu did books 1 and 3, while Martinsen did 2). A trilogy that spans literally thousands of years, deals with quantum physics, game theory, sociology, religion, space exploration, space colonization, and more, all driven by the nature of first contact with alien intelligence - there's a lot going on in this series, and that's before you start realizing just how much Cixin (reminder: Chinese names are traditionally written with the family name first and the given name second) truly takes on the advanced science of his ideas. And yet, when you finish it, you realize that you've read something truly incredible - a piece of hard science-fiction whose ambition, scope, richness, and ideas are impossible not to find yourself thinking about for days afterward. Once you read The Dark Forest, the series' second volume, Cixin's ambition for this saga starts to come into focus. The question of first contact is settled, and the nature of the alien's approach is known: this is to be a takeover of our planet. But how can we deal with a race so much more advanced than our own, constant surveillance by extra-dimensional forces, and fractured elements of humanity working against us? If The Three-Body Problem was a first contact novel done as hard science-fiction, The Dark Forest is an alien invasion novel, albeit one in which the actual invasion is still many, many years away. It's the first time Cixin starts using hibernation to leap through decades and even centuries, spanning huge chunks of time as humanity changes and evolves in the face of an arrival which will change everything. As humanity struggles to find ways to either defend itself or show that it means no harm, the race has to deal with its own fears of inevitable defeat or a desire to retreat from the only planet we've ever known. It's not as if The Three-Body Problem wasn't already ambitious, but The Dark Forest is on a whole other level, dealing with interplanetary fleets, lightspeed travel, quantum computing, and more, watching as they evolve over huge swaths of time. But more than that, the novel is a deeply philosophical one, discussing the nature of life in the universe, questions about human nature and how we react in the face of threats, how we work together (or not), and game theory in how we try to handle uncertain intentions in allies and foes alike. Indeed, the central metaphor that gives the book its title (which doesn't arrive until near the novel's end) is a stunning one that helps you understand that what Cixin is writing about isn't just this particular alien invasion, but about the nature of all life in the universe and how we attempt to define ourselves in the face of reality. That Cixin does this while, again, mixing in such a compelling story (focusing especially on the "Wallfacers", a small group of people tasked with covertly planning humanity's resistance against the invasion) is nothing short of remarkable. The Dark Forest builds beautifully off of the questions and ideas raised in The Three-Body Problem, but turns them into something else entirely, changing the questions from "how do we initially react" to "how would we redefine ourselves in the face of such news". Far from suffering from any sort of "middle book syndrome," The Dark Forest is incredible, engaging with incredible concepts but never neglecting the human characters that anchor its massive scope nor the ticking clock at its story's core. To explain this series is a difficult challenge, to put it mildly. This is a series that spans a huge amount of time, deals with advanced scientific concepts in complex terms, grapples with rich philosophical and political ideas, debates questions without easy answers, and gives you a scope that can be daunting. It's a story of alien invasions, yes, but one in which the action sequences we're so used to are replaced with existential dread, a rethinking of our own lives, and a fear of the unknown that's hard to quantify. It's also the story of people caught up in these times, trying to give themselves a good life while never forgetting the larger questions of their era, and juggling their own fears with fears for humanity. In other words, it's what hard science-fiction is great at - thoughtful questions, big ideas, and speculation, all of which change the way you think about the world. This series is a truly incredible achievement, one that honestly left me a bit staggered and reeling as I attempt to think about it all, but one that I love all the more for what it accomplishes. If you're a hard science-fiction fan, or simply someone who loves dealing with the complex ramifications of common ideas, this is a must read series. I've never read anything like it in my life, and I'm a richer person for the ideas it's inspired me to think about.

Just finished The Three Body Problem and The Dark Forest. Liu hired an excellent translator - the story comes through, it's compelling, and it's good hard sci-fi. I'd recommend these two to sci-fi geeks like me. I've decided not to read the third and fourth books for two reasons: first, the second book ends strangely - it's almost like the last chapter was written by someone else, and, unfortunately is unsatisfying. Second, while I enjoyed the books, they have large sections that plod along a bit - maybe after a break I'll tackle another one, but not for awhile. 😁 The app won't allow me to mark with 3 stars (which I would give the second book) but will allow 4 (which I would give the first book.)

I’m torn between giving the 4.5 or 5 stars. On one hand, the level of thought innovation in this book is atmospheric. The story strides through eons, societies, and cultures with strength. The clever technology, plot, philosophical and strategic twists & turns are mind blowing. They merit a solid 5 stars. Yet, I’m left partly perplexed. This is SO vast and sweeping that I experienced two emotions while reading it. First, I grew slightly weary of the expanse of it. The reader must keep an enormous amount about what’s happening in their brain whilst still integrating more. I felt nearly overwhelmed in the process. Second, the sweep of story is so vast that the number of characters required to tell it is huge. (The author provides a large dramatis personae up front, maybe in recognition of the assistance a reader will need.) I had to refresh my recollection more than once. These things make me want to pull a half a star off my rating. Yet, it’s compelling enough that I won’t do that in the whole-star options presented by Amazon & Goodreads. (It’ll be nice to use a 1/4 or 1/2 star option at TheStoryGraph.) For the record, the book also has two aspects that sadden me. There is a certain fatalism that is clearly wrought through much of the book. I won’t spoil the info about whether it’s resolved positively or not. But it is sad, because my Christian stance in life - hard, and logically forged - brings a different view to my life, and I’m saddened for people who feel that life is empty & meaningless. In a second, related aspect, the author incorporates a little bit of religion and a treatment of God alongside a purely secular (as well as Chinese-rooted) orientation of the story. In the process he almost (*almost*) paints the people with God beliefs as the ones who may have hope that can free them from the despair of fatalism. Sadly, while he gave this some space, he didn’t have the desire or faculties to develop it, so it’s hard to conclude if he is respecting or ridiculing them. I was ambivalent about Book 1. Book 2 is compelling. In to Book 3. (Thanks Chris B for encouraging me to press thru to #2.)

I have been reading science fiction for over forty years. I think I have had a broad exposure to all forms of the genre during that period. After a brief hiatus, several years ago I dove back in; focusing on some of the newer authors, and have been very satisfied with most of my selections. I try to read most of the Hugo and Nebula Award winners, and having done so, I think I have a pretty good idea of what makes outstanding science fiction. With all of that said, I feel strongly that The Dark Forest may be the best work of science fiction I have ever experienced. I read the English translation of Cixin Liu’s Chinese science fiction novel, The Three Body Problem. I thought that it was very good, but not excellent. I was sufficiently intrigued to proceed on to the second novel of the trilogy, The Dark Forest, and I am eternally grateful that I did. I am just floored by how good this novel is, on so many levels. I have read so many science fiction novels that are little more than spaceships and aliens, with poor underlying stories or character development. The Dark Forest is an outstanding piece of literature, above and beyond its label as a work of science fiction. It has very thoughtful themes, touching on philosophy, anthropology, sociology and psychology. The advanced technology and elements of hard science fiction are outstanding, second to none. The underlying story is absolutely captivating, as are the characters. At the conclusion of the Three Body Problem, we are left with an alien race, the Trisolarans, who have embarked on a four hundred year long trip across the galaxy, ostensibly to conquer and inhabit the Earth. Through use of their advanced technology, they have arrested the technological development of the human race and are able to eavesdrop on every aspect of life on Earth. Faced with this scenario, how does the human race respond? As the years pass and different generations are tasked with coming up with strategies to face the threat, the author continues, time and again, to impress with his vision and the elements of human psychology and philosophy that he employs. Most impressive to me is the author’s ability to deal with these philosophical and technological themes in such a way that the reader can easily follow and appreciate. To me, he walks the perfect line between being intellectually challenging, yet approachable (unlike some of Frank Herbert’s work, which was more than I could handle). So, if you have read The Three Body Problem and are trying to decide whether to proceed on to this second installment, I cannot encourage you strongly enough to do so. If you have not read the Three Body Problem, I urge you to do so, with the knowledge that the follow up book will be worth the effort. The Dark Forest wraps up very nicely and could easily be the end of the story; however this is a trilogy, so I will gladly continue to the final chapter, hoping not to be disappointed. The Dark Forest is a terribly difficult act to follow.

As an avid reader of sci-fi, it was refreshing to read the Remembrance of Earth's Past series. It's inventive, well-written series so and Liu is a master at keeping enough information from you to keep you guessing what everyone is thinking. If you like realistic explanations of alien technology then this is your book. It's not like you reading an astrophysics textbook but it's not Star Wars soft either. Liu aims right for the sweet spot for believable sci-fi. I'll admit, I was a little skeptical about the sequel because I didn't know if it would be able to top the fantastic Three Body Problem. Dark Forest dragged a bit in the beginning and I feared that he wouldn't be able to top the first novel. But the story keeps building and building until the second half of the book where all the ideas really come together. You can feel the pressure humanity is under to survive or enjoy their days as the timer counts down to the doomsday battle. And it's so fun and exciting to see a character's plan to come through as they create their own fate only to be put in a tougher dilemma. Liu moves into the future with this book. Unlike the previous book, Liu takes the story into the future. Three Body spent quite a bit of time in revolutionary China and was one of the fascinating aspects of the story. I like that I got a little cultural lesson as I read. There is less of that in the sequel. We have a hero but he isn't our focus. We are given an assortment of characters to root for or against. They aren't the most developed characters I've read but I didn't find myself caring too much about that the world itself is the main character here. I even found myself empathizing with the Trisolarans, they have their rational reasons for wanting to exterminate humanity. Who's to say we wouldn't do the same if we were in their position?. I'm not leaving any spoilers here.There are no boogeymen in this universe unless you're talking about the other hunters in the dark forest. You're going to have to read the book figure this one out. It's great, read it. Five Stars!

It is rare that a second novel in a series doesn't wander around a bit before the plot moves forward in the latter half of the book. It appears Chinese authors (a sample of one) are no different than many American authors (sample of many). The story bobs and weaves through and around romantic attachments, dream states, traitorous affiliations, bureaucratic administrivia and sci-fi consumerism 2 centuries hence. But, if you are able to wade through the Chinese character's names (so many that the translator was compelled to provide a name reference in the forepart) and the "gee-whiz" Epcot-ish technology, there is a solid, active and cautionary science fiction tale that is a worthy continuation of the initial book. The Wallfacer project was interesting though lacking in subtlety. Except for the approach of the protagonist, the alternatives were perhaps a bit more obvious or contrived than I would have expected. In the case of Luo Ji, his obvious inscrutable nature was viewed by most observers as laziness or hedonism, and the author kept much of his thought process from the reader until the very last segment of the book. I would have been a bit more interested to see his internal dialogue weighing theories and proposing alternatives to his selected course of action. The weakest part of the book, aside from the wandering subtended story arch, was threefold: SciFi McGuffinism, Space Battle Tactics, Spaceship Earth Drama. Early on, I began to wonder if the sophons were introduced to ensure that the author did not exceed his reach into speculative physics. The more I read, the more this seemed to be the case. We then encounter the probe. The "Teardrop" was never fully explained or brought into the realm of science. Invulnerable, able to change vectors at definitive angles, accelerate to a considerable % of the SOL, compact, and with no identifiable power source, the Drop just didn't have enough science behind it to suspend my belief to the degree necessary. It didn't fit with the generally good physics of prior speculative science in the novels. The battle formation and commitment of our entire space armada to the close encounter with the drop was irrational for any military leader who read naval history. Lastly, when the remaining ships departed for deep space, it would seem that no one factored in the freedom from sophon influence that would allow the survivors to restart progress in particle physics and other closed-off technology areas. All parties jumped to the default "final solution". ++++++Nevertheless, the Dark Forest axioms on survival, limited mass and chains of suspicion result in a definitive philosophical treatise and are worthy of consideration in light of our present debates in the real world about broadcasting our presence to the galaxy. I believe the author's work in this area is worthy of an important place in these debates, (perhaps ahead of Hawking group think). His logic and arguments are not easily discounted.++++++++++ All in, Dark Forest is a good novel that perhaps could have been a great novel if it had been winnowed down to the main story line with fewer diversions and more attention paid to the space battle/survivor section. I've pre-ordered the final novel of the trilogy which is to be released in January 2016.

The second book of this series, “The Dark Forest”, has its obvious shortcomings. The most glaring flaw I personally feel is Luo Ji (the leading character of the second book)’s romance with his “dream girl”. But how many engaging love stories have been told by scifi authors anyway? In addition, for American readers who have enjoyed the Chinese cultural/historical aspects of book one, reading The Dark Forest requires no understanding of the Chinese culture. Some of my friends also think that the Wallfacer project does not make much sense, but I disagree. This book deserves a five-star rating thoroughly. Unlike the Three-Body Problem that bears the burden of slowly laying the contextual foundation for the plot of the entire book series, the pace of The Dark Forest moves rather quickly from the beginning. There is no three-body computer game anymore. But a different game is played between four Wallfacers and their respective Wallbreakers. Each Wallfacer tried and failed in searching for a way to counter the looming invasion. Yet it does not seem to matter because, before the first alien fleet arrives, human technology has accelerated and risen to a level that rivals the alien race. Yes, inter-planetary peace is afoot. Part III of The Dark Forest is the climax and most dramatic stage of the entire trilogy series. Both Luo Ji and Zhang Beihai – two leading characters of the book – are awaken from century-long hibernation to witness the human race’s first physical contact with the aliens. I am not going to the details because it will spoil the fun of your reading. Suffice it to say there are several brilliant twists of the plot that forces the question: what is humanity after all? In my mind, the best scifi novels are not so much about the light-speed space dashing or spectacular galactic wars, but how we define humanity when facing an alien encounter or invasion. The Dark Forest just did that, in a chilling way. Almost like a social scifi, the socio-psychological elements give the book a provocative depth and resonance Zhang Beihai comes out almost as a Vulcan from StarTrek. Not only did he go undercover for many centuries, but also he came up with a shockingly unhuman solution to save the human race in the most dire moment. Morality is of no concern. Just another rational but dark choice in the face of desperation, which is quite consistent with the pervading sense of pessimism about humans through the first two books. This book presents an interesting theory about how different civilizations view each other in the vast universe, hence the reason for the book title “The Dark Forest”. It’s similar to the famous prisoner’s dilemma where betrayal or hostility seems to generate the biggest rewards. The overall concept reminds me of the Inhibitors in “Revelation Space” by Alastair Reynolds. Again, the theory does not produce any good prospect for cosmic harmony. If u think the Three-Body Problem is a bit depressing, the Dark Forest gets bleaker. And of course, Liu is not done yet because the final installment of the trilogy is called “The Dead End”. The Three-Body Problem was the finalist for both Hugo and Nebula awards this year. I will not surprised if the Dark Forest actually win it. That’s how GOOD it is.

I was blown away by the inventiveness of The Three-Body Problem, the first book in this trilogy. I wasn’t sure what to expect from this, the second book. Would it be an excellent continuation or a let down from admittedly high expectations? Well, I’m pleased to report that I enjoyed this book immensely, and in some ways, more than the original. Mr. Liu’s inventiveness continues in The Dark Forest. I am completely taken with the Wallfacer/Wallbreaker concept that drives much of the novel. I enjoy his vision of an earth 200 years in the future, waiting for first physical encounter with an alien culture—a probe in advance of the invasion fleet still 200 years away. I absolutely love how this contact runs completely against expectations, confirming that, by definition, we cannot have expectations of a culture that is truly alien, especially one that is more advanced than ours. The emotional bait-and-switch he performs before and after the encounter is excellent. Finally, the conclusions of this story are at once both logical and surprising. This novel is a tour de force of science fiction. Of course, because it is a powerful science fiction novel, it has some of the weaknesses that seem to be inherent in even the best science fiction. Primarily, since this book is driven by a clever plot, character seems to suffer. Other than Wallfacer Luo Ji and his protector Da Shi and, perhaps, soldier Zhang Beihai, none of the other characters seem to have any real depth. And, frankly, Mr. Liu’s depiction of the universe as a “dark forest” is quite depressing, though that is not to say he is wrong. Still, he offers us only faint glimmers of hope. In the end, this is a story that, like the best novels, invites rumination about the nature of the human race and what is out there. If my view is not as dark as Mr. Liu’s, he challenges me to wonder why I believe what I do. I am also left wondering what he has left in store for us in the final novel of the trilogy. I look forward to getting in to that one soon.

Dopo aver finito il secondo libro della serie, l'impressione è stata quella di leggere una Divina Commedia aggiornata al futuro! Così se Three Bodies poteva essere considerato l'Inferno, The Dark Forest può essere considerato come il Purgatorio, in febbricitante attesa del terzo volume della serie che presumo corrisponderà al Paradiso. Il volume offre numerosi spunti innovativi tanto dal punto di vista tecnologico che sociale, e introduce alcuni concetti come la "catena dei sospetti" e la sociologia cosmologica, come applicazione del dilemma dl prigioniero in mancanza di comunicazione, davvero innovativi. Gli spunti fantascientifici sono sempre strettamente recati sul possibile e non ho riscontrato manifeste incoerenze. Se devo trovare un punto sospetto è proprio nel problema dei tre corpi per il quale si postula che il pianeta Trisolaris sia fermo nell'universo tanto ch i soli possano muoversi in modo assoluto rispetto a esso, quando si dovrebbe parlare piuttosto di un problema di 4 corpi con uno si essi di massa estraente inferiore alle altre e ch quindi dovrebbe seguire strettamente uno dei soli per essere solo raramente strappato da un altro. In pratica l'istanza della 3 stella volanti, come presentata nel gioco dall'omonimo nome, non può in realtà verificarsi. Ovviamente non è chiaro se il problema si verifichi nella trasposizione della realtà di Trisolaris nel gioco, oppure se proprio nella fisica del pianeta Trisolaris.

Little other view on science fiction. Something I'd recommend

Am an old Sci-Fi fan, and this series of books has blown me away, I feel like I have gone on an incredible journey in my mind. Am writing this as a review of the three books together, there is no point debating which book is better as they all just form a whole narrative arc. I got into them through watching the Netflix adaptation of the first book, and as soon as I finished it I wanted to know more and bought the books. They aren't perfect, the narrative can majorly drag sometimes, but then you get to something that is where the slow bit was leading to and there is usually a great pay off in the story. They were originally written in Chinese, but the translations of these books is done really well. Overall it has been the most impactful Sci-Fi I have ever read.

La historia es excelente, al igual que la primera entrega. Aborda temas desde gobiernos totalitarios y democraticos hasta el control de la mente. Totalmente recomendado

Fantastic! So much food for thoughts!