3 Body Problem.

[Rachel Caldecott]

Not started it yet, but it's on my list. Question @Jonny : have you read the book? Is it the sort of thing to be read first? (husband has read it and is keen to crack on with the TV show, but I haven't read it yet.)

Binge watched the whole series. Loved it! I must now read the book.

 

[LJ Beck]

I have read the trilogy. I would say the first book is worth reading first. They have changed character gender and a lot of other things in the production so the Chinese are complaining this is too westernised. What was fascinating for me was the perspective of a completely different culture. It changed everything about the view of SF. If we have trouble grasping how differently another culture sees things-how are we going to comprehend an alien POV. Read the first book, "Dark Forest?" then decide if you want to finish. For me I ripped thru all 3. One of the most exciting books `I'd read in a long time.

Pictograph writing creates a different way of thinking/understanding. Reading is more akin to 3 level chess at the literary level..

The translation I had tried to keep the complexity of that with lots of footnotes. I'm hoping since there is a Chinese director he will be able to open up the multi-layers and give it the mystery and depth it would have if read in Chinese. It's not really fair to judge the English translation of the the book. It's like deciding the size of an iceberg because it's all you can see.

PJ I loved the book (3BP) for that reason too - that I really enjoyed reading from the perspective of a different culture to mine.
Have you read/listened to The Tensorate Series by Neon Yang, a Singaporean writer? I loved that series partially for the same reason, but also I really loved the chars and story. It's classified as "silkpunk" which I'd never heard of before, but I am going to seek out more in that subgenre.

 

[Pamela Jo]

PJ I loved the book (3BP) for that reason too - that I really enjoyed reading from the perspective of a different culture to mine.
Have you read/listened to The Tensorate Series by Neon Yang, a Singaporean writer? I loved that series partially for the same reason, but also I really loved the chars and story. It's classified as "silkpunk" which I'd never heard of before, but I am going to seek out more in that subgenre.

No I haven't, but I will look that up. Thanks.

 

[Jonny]

6 eps down and 2 to go.

No spoilers - But episode 5. The ship and canal sequence. Wow!

Production values to rival those of Dr Who, right there.

 

[Sedayne]

6 eps down and 2 to go.

No spoilers - But episode 5. The ship and canal sequence. Wow!

Production values to rival those of Dr Who, right there.

Terrifying and awesome.

 

[Pamela Jo]

6 eps down and 2 to go.

No spoilers - But episode 5. The ship and canal sequence. Wow!

Production values to rival those of Dr Who, right there.

I'm embroiled in Shogun at the moment. Three Body next. The MC actor in the new Shogun can slip into a Richard Burton growl-purr that I havent heard in decades. And talk about production values!

 

[Jonny]

Terrifying and awesome.

Yes, extraordinary. Damn! For me, this show is so blimmin' t'riffic.

I'm embroiled in Shogun at the moment. Three Body next. The MC actor in the new Shogun can slip into a Richard Burton growl-purr that I havent heard in decades. And talk about production values!

I'll maybe give it a go next, PJ

 

[Pamela Jo]

Yes, extraordinary. Damn! For me, this show is so blimmin' t'riffic.

I'll maybe give it a go next, PJ

Richard Burton voice at 1:10.

 

[Pamela Jo]

Also this is supposed to be good fun.

 

[Jonny]

Richard Burton voice at 1:10.

One of the best Richard Burton voices is Rob Brydon's impression. He's an even better Burton than Burton himself. Then there's his Anthony Hopkins and Jagger and so many others.

Have you watched The Trip. best comedy since The office for me. Burton here from 0.35ish

 

[Jonny]

Watched episode 8 last night and it had me gripped to the end. Frustrating it's a TBC deal, but knowing it was the 1st of the trilogy that was always inevitable.

The overall concept is so huge I just can't wait to see how the author handles it. He must have the brain the size of infinity if he pulls it off.

I see the producers are currently waiting on the green light from Netflix for the 2nd series, though the smart money seems to suggest they'll get it. The bad thing about that is I can't see the show arriving on the telly box much before mid '25 to early '26.

 

[LJ Beck]

We started watching, and it's great! But I keep struggling to relate some stuff to the book. All the backstory from the 60's is just like the book, but the present story... not so much. Some bits I can see where they come from, the countdown and the game is like the book, mostly, but I don't know who this circle of friends are? Maybe I need to re-read the book. Anyway, it's not the kind of book that you can just plunk into a TV show verbatim, so maybe I should stop trying to do that. haha.

 

[Peyton Stafford]

I read the book. Rather not watch the movie. Too many books, not enough time.

 

[RK Wallis]

I'm saving the 3 Body Problem as something to watch with the kids (if they haven't seen it). Thanks @Jonny!

Richard Burton voice at 1:10.

I read Shogun over 30-plus years ago. Can't remember anything except reading a thick book my nan gave me (she died 30 years ago, and I read it before she got sick). Be so cool to see the book come to life. I remember reading that burning building scene and it's just as I imagined.

 

[tyes]

I scrambled to finish reading the first book before watching the Netflix series. To be honest, I'd started and restarted reading the book twice before finally comitting to it and found it great in terms of unique ideas and concepts but far less so in terms of character development, which is an observation many others have made. I also understand that books 2 and 3 (which I haven't read but considering getting with my audible credits) are "better books", but even more high concept.

For the Netflix series however, I also thought it was good, recognizing that the story needed to incorporate better characters to help propel the story. The book's main male character's journey is split between at least two of the show's characters and the events of the book conclude with the public declaration of war (you are all bugs) which was episode 5 of 8. Not having read book 2, I don't know if some of the remaining 3 episode's events are from that book or purely original, but it kept me engaged.