Three-Body Problem

[Tien]

Susan wrote: "For one thing, I didn't like the long expositions of the science underlying everything. When it comes out during dialogue among characters, I'm ok. But I don't enjoy pages of lecture."

So much this! I basically 'tune out' (skimmed through) because my brain insisted that this is a very slippery slope for me (ie. I just can't grasp them! My brain totally goes fuzzy on me so I mostly skip scientific theoretical stuff when reading scifi)

Susan wrote: "On the other hand, the level of humor, especially during the game episodes, surprised me. I loved the idea of the duel over who supposedly discovered/invented calculus. And the 3-million-person "computer": obviously, it wouldn't really work that way, but I thought the description of it was hilarious."

I did like that part but I didn't think it was funny or hilarious... I supposed it felt to me more ridiculous than anything else so it was an eye roll for me ;p

[Tien]

I do think we're probably missing a lot on translation and probably on cultural references as well. We were told that Wang's first login name to the game was a pun (play?) on the meaning of his name - we wouldn't have had a clue, of course. There were some footnotes though quite sparse so I think in a way, they try to spare us from too much info but on the other hand, that makes me think that there are a lot that we are missing.

[Dee]

The translator has a note at the about how he struggled with portions but there is a note about his name - said the same but different characters to another word

[Susan]

I'm finished, too. My ebook is due at the library tomorrow, and I wanted time to take some notes before it has to go back.

[Susan]

Tien wrote: "I did like that part but I didn't think it was funny or hilarious... I supposed it felt to me more ridiculous than anything else so it was an eye roll for me ;p"

I agree, "ridiculous" is a better word. There was another whole page I marked as "silliness."

[Tien]

I've 25 pages to go! I'll finish at lunch (another hour to go or so...)

I obviously don't feel the urgent need to finish this book :p
Even so, I'm liking Part III because of the action bit (Panama Canal) and the Trisolarian pov

[Dee]

The Panama Canal part was kind of awesome - of course I might be paranoid next time I do a canal transit

[Tien]

Dee wrote: "The Panama Canal part was kind of awesome - of course I might be paranoid next time I do a canal transit"

lol - I would be too!

[Tien]

I've just finished and I think this book is truly a "book 1" feel - like a very long intro to the real action which kinda started in Part III but probably will not start for a long period of time (400 years) which is were book 2 (hopefully) will start...?

[Dee]

what i found kind of interesting in part III was the perception from the aliens that we (earth) was much more advanced than them (because of the rapid improvements we made during key periods) - since ytpically in the alien through process - they are more advanced than us

[Tien]

Dee wrote: "what i found kind of interesting in part III was the perception from the aliens that we (earth) was much more advanced than them (because of the rapid improvements we made during key periods) - sin..."

rather we will be more advanced than them when their spaceship actually reach our planet. I'm pleased that I actually understood the explanation for this! Our advancements are made in leaps & bounds helped by our stable atmosphere while theirs can be stalled for who knows how long due to the chaotic eras with few stable eras to actually make progress in...

[Tien]

Did you start book 2 already, Dee?

[Dee]

Not yet - maybe this weekend - I have a couple other library books to finish up...lemme know if you want me to wait for you

[Tien]

Dee wrote: "Not yet - maybe this weekend - I have a couple other library books to finish up...lemme know if you want me to wait for you"

I'm the same... I'm rushing through a book to be returned tomorrow.
Weekend is good - though I don't usually get much reading done then so I'll probably start Monday.

[Dee]

sounds good :) i have book 2 pseudo slotted into a SRC task - but i can easily switch it up if we don't get it read in time

[Susan]

I don't think I'm going to try to keep up with you two on Book 2. I still need to write my review of Book 1 and post in the month's shelf thread. I may give it a break for a while and see if it appeals to me more after that.

[Tien]

Did you start reading, Dee?

I'm still on chapter 1 - it seems to be a very loooong chapter! Struggling a bit with the many many switches of povs :/ and all these new characters! Do you think this is set about 3 years after the last book? I'm a bit confused lol

[Dee]

not yet - planning tonight - yesterday was the monday to top all monday's - ha! i lost track of how many times i hung up on ppl rather than muting their call (had my headset on and the mute/headset button are right next to each other)

[Tien]

lol - I've done that so many times!!

Glad to know am not the only one ha ha ha

[Tien]

I just realised there are no chapters... there are still parts (3) to the book but no chapters. Just space between different bits so it's like a very big chapter 😰

[Dee]

Ohhh geez

[Bea]

Tien wrote: "I just realised there are no chapters... there are still parts (3) to the book but no chapters. Just space between different bits so it's like a very big chapter 😰"

Hmm. I am just not a fan of No Chapters. Starting the first book today.

[Tien]

Me neither, Bea... I'd like to have a definite break to put my book down and no chapters & very long parts make that very very hard lol

@Dee: I managed to finish Part I yesterday... I think we may all have a misconception of the trilogy? Or at least I did anyway. This is definitely not a fast-paced book at all! Still no action so I've kinda shelved that expectation. Hopefully this means that I may enjoy the read a bit more :p

[Bea]

Well, I know that I am late finishing the first book, The Three-Body Problem, and I am aware that my comments are not pertinent to the present book y'all are reading. However, I am going to add them here anyway.

This is not my favorite genre by a long stretch. Yet, I have enjoyed some books in the Science Fiction category. Listening to y'all and starting this book earlier, left me feeling that I would not really enjoy the story at all and so I was less than motivated to make it a priority.

When I restarted it, I did entertain the idea of marking it a DNF, but as I really dislike doing that (have only done it 2x since 2009), I gave the book another day and kept reading. Well, I was hooked by the end of Part I.

I agree with Dee...it became a page-turner for sure.

And, although I am not very "sciency" and definitely not an astrophysicist or anything like that, I did enjoy the science.

This book went from DNF to 4* for me. Really liked it. (Will actually finish this one either late tonight or tomorrow [96 pages to go]).

[Tien]

expectations definitely play a lot on how much we appreciated the book we read, doesn't it?

Meanwhile, I've just finished The Dark Forest (Remembrance of Earth's Past #2) this morning. The ending feels finished but yet there's book 3...

Still only 3.5* from me... to start with was the confusing plethora of new characters and the no chapters thing (what's with that!). But, I did read the last half of the book rather quickly. Despite some explosive action, I kept waiting for something infinitely worse (is that my pessimistic nature?). I think in a way this book is rather more thoughtful that I expected it to be.

Edit: I've just glanced at a review for book 3 that noted it can be read as a standalone.

[Dee]

I haven’t started dark forest yet - i’m Sooo far behind

[Susan]

I appreciated reading your review, Bea. I'm not going on to books 2 & 3 any time soon. In fact, I'm having a very hard time writing my own review of Book 1. I was never won over like you and Tien are, and yet I keep thinking maybe I'm judging it too harshly.

[Susan]

Finally managed a review! Here.

[Tien]

Lovely review, Susan, you've definitely made more effort & put in lots more thought into your review :)

[Bea]

My review is now posted in the monthly thread.

[Tien]

Death's End (Remembrance of Earth's Past #3) is due to be returned to the library on Wed so I started reading on Wed with a goal of 100 pages a day - I think I can make it!!

It's very much thicker than first 2 books at a whooping 724 pages but I feel like it's a lot faster in pace or at least I found it easier to get into it...

[Dee]

i still have books 2 and 3 sitting in the trunk of my car needing to be read...lol

[Tien]

in the TRUNK of your car... lol

I'm finding it a bit annoying sometimes how it just leaps ahead in time (too much "hibernation" being used), ah!

[Dee]

Or is it the boot of my car ;)

[Tien]

Dee wrote: "Or is it the boot of my car ;)"

Indeed!

Also v. interesting - is that the spot you always keep your library books?!

[Dee]

Normally my car is full of books because i’m Single and rarely gave anyone in my car but have been doing some drives for local dog rescue so I just dumped everything in trunk

[Tien]

Well, at least, you bother to actually put your things in the trunk. I've just put stuff in the front passenger seat which annoys hubby so very much lol

Can't have too many pairs of shoes in the car is my thinking ha ha ha