I remember trying this book in the past, after hearing it lauded as one of the greatest sci-fi novels ever, and giving up quite early on because it was too heavy for me. Then I started watching and loving the Netflix adaptation and so I went back to the book and this time found myself engaging with it more.
Unlike the tv adaptation, this book is set entirely in China and the majority of the characters are Chinese. There are a lot of cultural and historical references which are pretty much lost on me, although there are footnotes giving some context and explanation.
Several cutting edge scientists start dying in mysterious circumstances, some academics are invited into a vast virtual reality role playing game based in a world with three suns whose orbits are regularly thrown into chaos causing devastating effects on the worlds climate and the life of it’s inhabitants, and one physicist starts seeing numbers counting down in his field of vision.
How are these things connected and what do they mean for the future of planet Earth?
I like the policeman character, and in my mind see him as the actor who played the equivalent role in the tv show. I also like the real, intelligent, sciency way they explore the theories about what’s happening and the options for responding.
As I’m writing this, I’m still slogging through book two in the series so trying not to give spoilers about what’s coming!
Sarah Wray Writer 