Author: Cixin Liu
Genre: Science Fiction
Series: The Remembrance of Earth’s Past ❤
!!Spoiler Warning!!
I have always enjoyed watching movies about alien invasions. Where a technologically superior alien race invades the earth, and our hero saves the day. But the most peculiar aspect of those movies was the aliens come from nowhere, and we don’t have time to respond and prepare for the attack.
It is not the case here. The book starts from after a few years where it’s predecessor The Three-Body Problem left. After the infamous action of Ye Wenije, the aliens from the Trisolarian earth is coming to attack our planet and now this news has become public and the whole plot of the second part revolves around humanity coming in term with the fact that their last days on the earth are near almost 400 years. Which I think is the most brilliant aspect of this alien invasion story. Because now the author has the freedom to explore the many turns and tides humanity as a whole has to face.
He almost successfully captures this. Be it the desperate attempts of higher authorities like the UN to save the humans, or helplessness of a common man or a stubbornness of soldier.
The dark forest is very different from the Three-body problem. The three-body problem was a more hard science fiction constrained within the realm of fancy and complicated science and alien contacts and the ideological differences of humans about their future on earth. However, the dark forest makes much broader and compelling attempt to explore the philosophy of sociological structure between alien civilizations and again some fantastic possibilities of technological advancements. Where the later is as fancy and intriguing as the first book the former for steals the show.
It is dark, gritty, and well developed by Liu. The two fundamental axioms and then the repercussions of that seems very legit and the ultimate truth that comes out of it, i.e. the universe is nothing but a ‘Dark Forest’ is mind-blowing.
Liu has depicted the struggle for survival perfectly. The ideologies that become popular during the time of crisis is well thought and seems possible. The idea of Wallfacer project looks brilliant at first. Particularly against an enemy who knows about every move, humanity makes thanks to the Sophon Computers sent in the first part. But with the time you see the shortcomings of the whole idea and see it failing and with which fails humanity’s last hope, this leads to its downfall and after a ‘Great ravine’ the resurgence. Which still is not enough to fight back to the technologically superior trisolarian enemies.
The mystery behind the strategy of the last wallfacer and the protagonist of the book Luo Ji is engaging and keeps you guessing. It was he who unlocks the mystery of the dark forest. And the conclusion of this book could not have been better.
The book is very well constructed, bold, and unique. I have thoroughly enjoyed almost every aspect of it. I have also read Death’s End, the final book of the trilogy, and without a shred of doubt it’d blow your mind. It’s everything you’d want from the finale.
wordsofbookradiant 