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A review by marimoose
The Dark Forest by Cixin Liu
challenging
dark
informative
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
After my interest was piqued in the first novel of this trilogy, I went into The Dark Forest with a healthy appetite for an upcoming alien invasion and the sociopolitical problems that arise from knowing that the aliens are coming for us humans in the next 200 years or so. I LIKED and ENJOYED The Three-Body Problem, man.
But then came the idea of the Wallfacers. The fucking Wallfacers. To be honest, when I watched the TV series adapted from this trilogy, I honestly thought the idea of the sophons' presence and the wallfacer project to be my least favorite part. The idea of appointing the Wallfacers to combat the sophons by giving them free reign to do anything as long as they think to themselves and share nothing about their plans is kind of a wild ride. I wouldn't have minded so much, but I felt like no one really knew what that meant, especially the main character.
It didn't help that I didn't particularly care for the cast of characters in this book either, and Luo Ji?
I fucking HATED that guy.
Also, where the hell were the women? Two hundred years of humanity making significant technological progress and every prominent figure is male? The ONE woman making a recurring appearance was practically created from Luo Ji's misogynistic fantasy-scape, who turns out to be real (WOW a REAL WOMAN with ALL the traits he's ever wanted in a wife, go fuck yourself Luo Ji.) But what is she really? Oh, the inciting event that makes the main character actually do his job for once.
Be for fucking real. Of course that's disappointing. Especially because in this book, despite The Three-Body Problem having at least one prominent female character (hell, we follow her extensively throughout her fascinating history up to the present time), it's like there are no women in STEM. Two hundred years. TWO HUNDRED YEARS.
Also, I don't recommend the audiobook. It was already hard enough to wrap my head around some of the concepts, but it didn't help that I had to listen to the attempts at so many different accents by the narrator. Not entirely his fault, but also probably mostly his fault.
I don't even know if I want to pick up the last book, because as far as I'm concerned, the resolution in The Dark Forest was sort of clever and satisfactory enough for me. And honestly, the end didn't justify the means of me trudging through the entire story only for a decent-ish return on the last two chapters.
But then came the idea of the Wallfacers. The fucking Wallfacers. To be honest, when I watched the TV series adapted from this trilogy, I honestly thought the idea of the sophons' presence and the wallfacer project to be my least favorite part. The idea of appointing the Wallfacers to combat the sophons by giving them free reign to do anything as long as they think to themselves and share nothing about their plans is kind of a wild ride. I wouldn't have minded so much, but I felt like no one really knew what that meant, especially the main character.
It didn't help that I didn't particularly care for the cast of characters in this book either, and Luo Ji?
I fucking HATED that guy.
Also, where the hell were the women? Two hundred years of humanity making significant technological progress and every prominent figure is male? The ONE woman making a recurring appearance was practically created from Luo Ji's misogynistic fantasy-scape, who turns out to be real (WOW a REAL WOMAN with ALL the traits he's ever wanted in a wife, go fuck yourself Luo Ji.) But what is she really? Oh, the inciting event that makes the main character actually do his job for once.
Be for fucking real. Of course that's disappointing. Especially because in this book, despite The Three-Body Problem having at least one prominent female character (hell, we follow her extensively throughout her fascinating history up to the present time), it's like there are no women in STEM. Two hundred years. TWO HUNDRED YEARS.
Also, I don't recommend the audiobook. It was already hard enough to wrap my head around some of the concepts, but it didn't help that I had to listen to the attempts at so many different accents by the narrator. Not entirely his fault, but also probably mostly his fault.
I don't even know if I want to pick up the last book, because as far as I'm concerned, the resolution in The Dark Forest was sort of clever and satisfactory enough for me. And honestly, the end didn't justify the means of me trudging through the entire story only for a decent-ish return on the last two chapters.