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The Dark Forest cover art

The Dark Forest

Written by: Cixin Liu, Joel Martinsen - translator
Narrated by: P. J. Ochlan
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Publisher's Summary

Soon to be a Netflix original series!

"Wildly imaginative." (President Barack Obama on The Three-Body Problem trilogy)

This near-future trilogy is the first chance for English-speaking listeners to experience this multiple-award-winning phenomenon from Cixin Liu, China's most beloved science fiction author.

In The Dark Forest, Earth is reeling from the revelation of a coming alien invasion - in just four centuries' time. The aliens' human collaborators may have been defeated, but the presence of the sophons, the subatomic particles that allow Trisolaris instant access to all human information, means that Earth's defense plans are totally exposed to the enemy. Only the human mind remains a secret. This is the motivation for the Wallfacer Project, a daring plan that grants four men enormous resources to design secret strategies, hidden through deceit and misdirection from Earth and Trisolaris alike.

Three of the Wallfacers are influential statesmen and scientists, but the fourth is a total unknown. Luo Ji, an unambitious Chinese astronomer and sociologist, is baffled by his new status. All he knows is that he's the one Wallfacer that Trisolaris wants dead.

The Remembrance of Earth's Past Trilogy

The Three-Body Problem

The Dark Forest

Death's End

Other books

Ball Lightning

Supernova Era

To Hold Up the Sky (forthcoming)

©2008 Cixin Liu (P)2015 Macmillan Audio

Editorial Review

With the alien invasion looming, humans begin rallying their forces and doing everything they can to prepare for the worst. But how do you plan when the enemy can see your intel instantaneously? The only safe place left in The Dark Forest is the fragile human mind.

The acclaimed author of The Three-Body Problem, Cixin Liu continues his saga of war and aliens in The Dark Forest. The civil war has ended, and the alien sympathizers have been defeated. Now, with Trisolaris collecting all human intel, Earthlings must regroup and find a new way to plan their opposition. Nowhere is safe—except deep within the human mind. Under the daring Wallfacer Project, four individuals are chosen to hold Earth’s defence secrets in their heads and its fate in their hands.

Like its Hugo Award-winning precursor, The Dark Forest is an exciting, action-packed audiobook full of science fiction wonder and adventure, rooted in political subtext and Chinese cultural commentary. Focusing on the theme of resistance, this complex and deep story also highlights aspects of censorship, the importance of information, the dangers of advancing technologies, and the very meaning of human identity.

Narrator P. J. Ochlan brings this sci-fi audiobook masterpiece to life with a clear and engaging tone. The second volume in Three-Body Problem Trilogy, The Dark Forest will quickly pull you in and leave you unable to pause as the epic tale unfolds.

What listeners say about The Dark Forest

Average Customer Ratings
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    5 out of 5 stars

thanks Cixin

I really enjoyed it. I read the book, so I new what was coming.... but, it still blew my socks off. I didn't think that the three body problem could be followed. But, ¯⁠\⁠_⁠(⁠ツ⁠)⁠_⁠/⁠¯. it was done. this masterpiece even surpassed it. the vocal performance was top notch also.

if you like hard science fiction, this is a must.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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Chapter title

just wish the chapter titles were added ive found my self having to go back snd book mark all the parts i want to make notes of

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3 people found this helpful

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Great part of the fantastic trilogy.

Dark forest is a brilliant read. I loved the concepts put forward in the first book, and not only does this one expand on those concepts, it takes it to a whole new level. It's a very philosophical read that really makes you think about our place in the cosmos. The dark forest theory is a clever way to explain the Fermi paradox

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fantastic story

narrator wasn't terrible necessarily, his accents were good, his delivery just wasn't there for me. maybe it also was the translation, but regardless, this story is absolutely fantastic and is a must read for sci fi

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

More enthusiasm and voice work needed

what an excellent science fiction story.

I wish the performance could have been more engaging, and I miss the cop character (Da Shi [sp]) having a distinct voice as he did in the first book of the series

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  • Overall
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  • AB
  • 2019-10-02

Amazing

Amazing book. The language is just like a real time tail. At the beginning I was sceptical about it, but I quickly realized that it is a must read book.

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  • Overall
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A master class in hard science fiction.

Masterfully written! Full of factual scientific thinking that that can feel a little long in the tooth if you are oriented toward that kind of book. it reminds me of the conversational style of Asimov when explaining science and concepts.

but it's all well worth. Cixin Liu unpacks such incredible ideas and, like a true master story teller, delivers a riveting twist and turn of storytelling.

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  • AC
  • 2023-06-17

Excellent Listen

I loved the idea of the wall-facers and wall-breakers. Throughout the story I was wondering what the plans were and when the answers were revealed I was always surprised. The main character is likeable as well as the additional characters. I was delighted with the return of the police chief and the role that he played. I recommend this book to individuals who liked the first one and encourage sci-fi enthusiasts to read the first book.

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  • Overall
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wow

wow, this is the empire strikes back of the trilogy. such a great listen

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Great themes explored but chapters not sensible length

Themes were picked up from 3 Body Problem in a clever way and characters stayed true. It was unfortunate that the video game aspect was dropped but choices had to be made i suppose for reasons of plot progression. But 8 and 6 hour chapters? This production choice make it stupid hard to navigate through the story.

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