re: The Three Body Problem or Red Rising for Next Book

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if I just read the first one, when I'm done are there going to be like 50 unanswered questions left

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Yes, it's one story in three books. I would not recommend reading just the first book.

dang ok, this is very helpful. I intentionally have avoided looking much into it becuase I like to go into a new book fresh, so all I really know about it is that it's kind of a sci/fi thing with some mind bending elements" which was intriguing. I don't think I'd be able to devote 3 books' worth of time though and knowing myself I think all the chinese names would probably throw me off. appreciate the insight.

I'm on the final book of 3BP. It's definitely good, but it couldn't be more different that the Red Rising series. Red Rising is a page-turner3 with lots of action. 3BP is a legit work of literature that grapples with humanity's place in the universe and a ton of emerging scientific concepts.

I think that Red Rising would be for just about anyone as it's just a page turning action series. 3BP is like if Milan Kundera and Neal Stephenson had a lovechild who was raised in China.

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I don't think I'd be able to devote 3 books' worth of time

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It would be worth it.

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I think all the chinese names would probably throw me off

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You get used to it.

I would still suggest trying the first book to see if the Chinese names give you problems. Believe me, once you finish the first book, you're going to want to read the rest.

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do you need to have a scientific mind to be able to grasp the writer's point

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You don't. He does a really good job of either dumbing it down or explaining the concept to a layman.

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What is a general synopsis?

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Chinese government is sending messages out into space. One day they receive a response. Its set in the backdrop of the Chinese Cultural Revolution, and the author does a good job of explaining this revolution and the mindset of the people impacted by it.

So, a response is received. How should they react? Respond in kind? What happens if they respond? Are the aliens friendly?

The book deals with man dealing with knowing there is other life out there. Factions form - governments, Bill Gates type billionaires involved - some with the aliens, some against the aliens. And they are working against each other because they believe what they're doing is for the benefit of mankind.

I don't want to say much more, because there is a pretty cool scene in the book when they receive the message, and the person who receives the message makes up her mind of what to do.

It gets more intense with the science in the second and third books but the foundation of the first book helps immensely. The fact that the show runners from GOT are adapting this is simultaneously hilarious and sad.

I've read them all ... they're interesting. The science is decent, most of the time.

I enjoyed one and Dark more than Death's End. I was ready to get it overwith about midway through three.

Honestly, anytime I have recommended the trilogy to friends or family when asked about it ... I've recommended going the audio book route. Use your library card and download them for for free through Libby or Hoopla. I think listening to them in a dramatic presentation might be better than reading them.

Also heard a Chinese limited series is coming out with English voice-overs sometime next year on Netflix.

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Can’t wait to start Death’s End today.

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best of the three, imo. really sticks the landing.

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Uhhh.... that was in the vr "game."

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Did you finish the book?

ETA: Now I'm questioning myself. Pretty sure there is more to the dehydrating thing than just the VR.

The dehydration simulation was to give the history and problems of Trisolaris to sympathetic humans while not overwhelming them and to help their eventual takeover of earth.