How would human beings react if we found out we're not alone in the universe? What if we knew an alien civilization was to invade（入侵）Earth? What would we do?
These are the questions asked in The Three-Body Problem. When a secret military project sends signals into space to get in touch with aliens, an alien civilization in face of destruction receives the signals and plans to invade Earth. Meanwhile, on Earth, people begin to separate into different groups: those who welcome aliens and those who want to fight against them.
The novel was written by Chinese author Liu Cixin and published in 2008. Translated into English in 2014 and almost 20 languages since, it was called an absolute "must-read in any language" by Booklist magazine. Liu has won several awards for it and in 2015, he became the first Asian to win the Hugo Award for Best Novel, the highest award in science fiction.
Just from the title, one could imagine that the text might be heavy with physics terms (术语). But as US writer Jason Heller said: "Indeed, this science fiction is full of lengthy passages explaining technical terms. But Liu Cixin supports all of that burning-brain theory with empathetic (感同身受的) characters and thrilling story plots."
At the very heart of science fiction — and what makes it truly appealing to readers — is the concept of an uncertain future. This allows the author to push the boundaries of readers' imaginations. Liu fully uses this approach to keep readers anxiously turning the page. While reading, they ask themselves, "What would I do?"
In an interview with The New York Times, Liu said, "China is on the path of rapid modernization and progress, kind of like the US during the golden age of science fiction in the 1930s to the 1960s. The future in the people's eyes is full of attractions and hope, but also threats and challenges. That makes for very fertile soil."
