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  • The Three-Body Problem

  • Written by: Cixin Liu
  • Narrated by: Luke Daniels
  • Length: 13 hrs and 26 mins
  • 4.4 out of 5 stars (1,150 ratings)

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The Three-Body Problem

Written by: Cixin Liu
Narrated by: Luke Daniels
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Publisher's Summary


A civil war is raging, and Earth is facing an impending invasion. Follow along in this modern first-contact sci-fi masterpiece steeped in China's harrowing history, The Three-Body Problem.

A New York Times bestselling author, Liu Cixin is a beloved Chinese science fiction writer who has received numerous awards and recognitions for his contributions to the genre, including the novel The Wandering Earth. His literary sensation The Three-Body Problem was first published in 2008 and quickly became one of the last few decades' most successful Chinese science fiction novels. It is the first Asian winner of the Hugo Award for Best Novel and was a nominee for the Nebula Award for Best Novel. Rooted in the history of the Chinese cultural revolution, this audiobook is a deeply moving reflection of secrecy, betrayal, resistance, and political disillusionment. The social commentary is only compounded by the mesmerizing storytelling and tropes that make the genre so popular and long-lasting.

For the first time, the English translation of The Three-Body Problem is available in audiobook format and is impeccably narrated by Luke Daniels. The epic audiobook, based in Beijing, expertly melds Chinese history's compelling characters and culturally charged undertones in ways that will transport listeners on an unforgettable journey.

An American live-action series of The Three-Body Problem has been given a 2023 release date. At the helm of Netflix's The Three-Body Problem series will be executive producers D.B. Weiss, David Benioff (best known as co-creators and showrunners for HBO's Game of Thrones) and Alexander Woo. The series will star Tsai Chin as Ye Wenjie, among other notable Chinese actors. In 2022 it was also announced that The Three-Body Problem video game is in the works.

Editorial Review

In the midst of a civil war, Earth faces an impending invasion. Do you side with the invaders and forsake Earth—or do you stand against the coming storm and join forces with the resistance? Grounded in China’s troubled history, The Three-Body Problem is a modern sci-fi masterpiece.

Two civilisations in turmoil collide. While China seeks to remedy the ongoing civil war and a cultural revolution that looks to overthrow the current system, alien beings respond to an intercepted signal. Reeling from their own losses, this alien race redirects and aims to capture Earth for its own. A complex and exciting tale of adventure, The Three-Body Problem is rooted in the history of China’s Cultural Revolution, from secrecy to betrayal, resistance and political disillusionment. Add to this background the fear and excitement of alien civilisations, invasion, and power struggle, and you have a tale rich with metaphor, political parallels, and social commentary.

Originally written in Chinese, and widely regarded as one of the best science fiction novels in China, this audiobook sees Liu Cixin’s work translated into English and narrated by Luke Daniels. Since its publication in 2008, The Three-Body Problem has achieved commercial success and attracted critical acclaim on an international scale. It was the first novel from Asia to win the Hugo Award for Best Novel and was also nominated for the prestigious Nebula Award.

This audiobook is truly epic. The wonder of science fiction mixed with compelling characters and a culturally charged subtext makes The Three-Body Problem a must-listen for any sci-fi fan. Get ready to be swept away on a journey of galactic proportions.

Featured Article: 20 Best Sci-Fi Audiobooks for Exploring New Worlds

There is no genre that lends itself better to audio narrative than Science Fiction does. There is a magic that transports listeners to new worlds of wonder and mystery that is heightened by expert voice actors and narrators. A great writer can create an imaginative new world or dystopian civilisation, but it is up to the narrator to bring this world to life around you. We’ve gathered together 20 of the top science fiction audiobooks ranked not only for their stories but for the emotive and compelling narrative performances. Let these award winning tales and voices carry you away to worlds unknown.

What listeners say about The Three-Body Problem

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

Very interesting read

I picked this up because I heard a lot of great things about this book. I was surprised with the story and it really engaged me throughout. The science can be a bit much but it really doesn't take anything away from the story.

The voice acting is fine, doing an excellent with all the foreign names.

I will certainly be continuing with this series.

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4 people found this helpful

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    3 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

struggled to finish..

Interesting premise, far too verbose to be engaging. Luke Daniels' butchering of names was distracting.

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3 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Great book, narrator should learn pronunciation

Excellent story and book; however the narrator was butchering many of the names and the pronunciation of anglicized Chinese words.

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3 people found this helpful

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

No problems with The Three-Body Problem.

Thoroughly enjoyed the three body problem it's view on society and alien culture was refreshing coming from a non-western ideal.

Luke Daniels precise and clear read was very enjoyable. I do feel the one of the few things that could have made this better was having the female narration for the female-driven parts of the book would have increased it's relatability.

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3 people found this helpful

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

hard listen

a good book which came well recommended. It was well read however I found it very hard to follow while listening. I feel like this book is better suited to hard copy reading (and I may buy a copy to read later)

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2 people found this helpful

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

great concepts

great concrpt for a story. not usual shoot em up sci fi. very intelligent

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1 person found this helpful

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

Truly a unique story

The author,,, "Cixin Liu", has the most vivid imagination I've personally encountered. Don't know at the moment, if I'll dive into the rest of this saga,,,, yet. It's strangeness and complexity caused me to go back to the beginning twice, retracing a couple hours, each time, to catch anything missed, and gaining the sense of the story. Now that I have the arc of the story, thoroughly understood, it should be easy to delve into the rest... just not today. To many great books,,, to little time.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars

Meh.

Narrarator did a great job, the story was too childish for me and did not feel connected to the story or any of the unbelievable characters. There were some interesting thoughts and concepts peppered throughout, but not enough to redeem or recommend to a friend.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

weird but good

this is a really weird book but I like it... it has everything you could want. nerdy science, authoritarian militant government, aliens... everything!!!

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  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
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tried to like it..

struggled to finish. came here from project hail mary.. very disappointing, slow start. under delivers.

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