Read the Three Body Problem

in #books6 years ago (edited)

3body.jpg

“Just read Three Body Problem, it’s a great book, and I know you will like it!”

“What’s it about?”

“Well, I can’t really tell you without spoiling the book. It’s an experience in itself to be discovering what the book is about while you read it.”

Intriguing. This exchange was a few weeks back, and finally I got around to devouring this fascinating book and finding out that indeed, this was not the book I thought it was going to be, and it was a fantastic ride.

And so similarly, I want to describe the experience without ruining the experience, and hopefully others if you are commenting you can likewise follow suit.

Well what’s the title referencing anyway? Going into this book I only knew that the Three Body Problem involves solving a set of equations corresponding to the movement of three planetary bodies in space. There are known solutions in very specific cases, but there does not exist a general (closed-form) solution. It also has the property that the solutions are very sensitive to the initial configuration. A tiny change in initial positions can wildly change the trajectories: in other words, chaotic. How does this play a role in the book? Is the book discussing the journey behind attempts at solving this problem? Perhaps it’s a metaphor describing something else entirely?

I also knew going in that it was a work of fiction, and that the setting starts during the Chinese cultural revolution. Okay, so maybe it’s historical fiction? Well I won't say much more than this.

The book reveals a level of technical detail that I find surprising and refreshing, in terms of explaining various concepts in math, physics, and computer science. An attempt at tricking people into learning a little bit, if you will. My favorite kind of subversive learning. Okay, not really, it’s more likely that you might glaze over them like I did, at least for some of the theoretical physics.

Still, not knowing what the book is about, how would you know if it’s your cup of tea? You might be thinking “No, I don’t want to be tricked into learning science!” to which I would say… You know what? Forget I said it. It’s not important. Just know that the world is not what it seems, and conspiracies abound. It’s intrigue… mystery… the characters are well developed and I took a liking to a particularly crafty fellow. Pretty much, you won’t be able to put the book down.

I only just finished the first book in the series, and look forward to continuing the series. It seems it’s also being turned into a movie, and well, that should be fun.

How did I do? Did I say too much already? If you read it already, how would you sell it?

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The jurassic Park books had a connection to mathematics, more specifically, chaos theory. (The movie also but in a somewhat weaker sense) . Is the sciency part three body problem of a similar order?

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I would say so. I think chaos theory specifically is only loosely referenced but plenty of other cool things. And it spends a significant amount of time dropping some background for these things.

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I like to talk about it as a book constructed so that the conceit of Sid Meier's Civilization actually makes sense - they can proceed in building their society with an advance knowledge of the tech tree.

That's maybe not so useful, though. I didn't like it enough to read the other two.

I wonder if it has to do with a pretty contrived plot device that essentially boils down to being ridiculously overpowered and seems to leave it ripe for inconsistencies?

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What, are we suddenly talking about Foundation now?

I almost feel like I described something universal haha. Actually, as I've been reading the second book in the series, I think I would retract my comment. The device is still interesting enough.

I've seen it referenced enough that I'll probably end up reading it up. Probably when I get a flash sale for an ebook. @tcpolymath's description intrigued me. I know it's not like this, but I am picturing a bunch of technocrats yelling 'screw pottery, we are rushing to orbital space lasers!'

LOL. I need that book! I think I do know what he is referencing though. More prominent in the second book though.

Paging @blockurator for your next fiction prompt, see above.

I'll have to read the book. Sounds interesting.

Beautiful post

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