The Dark Forest (The Three-Body Problem Series, 2) Paperback – August 16, 2016

Containing a little bit Spoil. Be careful.This English version changed its original plot and become totally different from Chinese version for the part about one of the Wallfacer.As far as I concerned, the changes influenced a lot in the characterization of that Wallfacer, and his character, therefore, had been influenced in some ways. 'Please notice the terms: characterization and character. Their definitions are totally different in plot-writing.) Whether this influence in character is good or bad depends on each reader. However, I am a person always prefer and respect the ORIGINAL ideas from the writer. (Not even for this book, but for many other situation, such as the changes made by GOT series. :( )These changes in the major plot, I heard from someone, had been requested by the US editor due to the reason that the original plan made by this Wallfacer was related to another book, "Ball lightning“ (also written by Mr. Liu), which were not published in English yet. In this case, Mr. Liu had to change the plot by himself. Frankly speaking, I do not think this request was a good idea. I had not yet read that book when I first read The Dark Forest (in Chinese), either!!! There was no problem to understand it AT ALL!!! The only consequence was that I then eagerly bought that book after finishing The Dark Forest. Why not keep this original plot and introduce the other book in the footnote? Maybe it will be published in English later, right?Then, strange things happened. Another character, Dr. Ding Yi, who also originally came from that Ball Lightning, had survived in this book, for the fact that he was so important and could not be replaced or deleted in anyway from this book. When introducing this character, the plot did mention something about Ball Lightning.Therefore, if you read The Dark Forest in English first, you might find some strange "evidences" left behind in the words just as the one I mentioned above. Here is another strong evidence: after this poor Wallfacer revealed his true plan to the hero, there was a paragraph describing the hero's internal activities, which containing some terms that related to the unchanged (original) plan but had nothing to do the changed one. You may also find the reputation of this Wallfacer shifted from time to time in different parts of this book. Finally, you might become confused, especially when you are not an original Chinese reader of this trilogy.There are always something could not be changed in a written book, even the changes were made by the original writer (under pressure? unwillingly? I suppose so.). Designing a story is a very complicated thing. When it is done, it should be done. For a book with so many intersections among subplots like this trilogy, it is almost impossible to change one of the subplot without disturbing the others or disturbing the overall picture of itself. If you were a writer, who have experiences in writing long stories, you must know what I am talking about. :) I am writing novels as well, so I know how these things going on.My conclusion is that this changes are not necessary, but they have not threatened the whole picture of this second book of the trilogy. Although it might become strange in those places I pointed out, the strangeness falls majorly on that poor Wallfacer (Well, I admit I like this guy in the original Chinese version better.) .Therefore, I gave this FIVE STAR to Mr. Liu, not for the editor or someone else who is responsible of this issue. I will not blame the translator, either. The translation itself is quite good. In fact, I read this one more comfortably than the previous book. Ken's work was also brilliant, but not as native/straightforward as this translator. The translation of the previous book tasted with more Chinese culture inside (I mean, not just the story, but the translation. Ken definitely understands Chinese culture and language better.), and this might be the reason why it is not so straightforward as this one. The two different style of translation both have their own strengths and weakness.p.s. I have one question for Joel...and for native English speaker here...Do you guys feel strange when encountering the term (appeared in the Dark Forest) "inquire one's mother"? The original words in Chinese version was "''xx'''", whose direct translation could be "greet one's mother". "Inquire", however, should be "''" or "''" in Chinese. They are quite different from each other and I was confused by this indirect translation. Well, you guys may be able to get the idea that "''xx'''" is a very suggestive term for that F*** word term. (Please do not tell me this word can not be existing in published novels. There are a bunch of them in GRRM's A Song of Ice and Fire, and directly appeared in TV series. I read a lot of English novels, and F words are here and there, but I have never encountered the expression, "inquire one;s mother".)My question is...does this "inquire one's mother" term originally exist in English? If so...just forget what I am asking about (Maybe you can show some examples here, if possible). If not...do you think a native English speaker can get this idea easily from the translation without knowing the original Chinese term?Thank you in advance. :)Discussions are welcomed, for both opinions about plot changes and the little question above.

A little tough to read. Not a happy read. Imaginative.

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.

Headline says it all. It’s thought provoking, introspective, and thrilling in the end (a little slow to start, admittedly). I’m starting the next one immediately.

Somewhat dark but a nice ending - strategy won after all . The two axioms of civilization were particularly interesting