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ZorbaTHut  2yr ago (text post)   5683 thread views

Small-Scale Question Sunday for September 18, 2022

Do you have a dumb question that you're kind of embarrassed to ask in the main thread? Is there something you're just not sure about?

This is your opportunity to ask questions. No question too simple or too silly.

Culture war topics are accepted, and proposals for a better intro post are appreciated.

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I recently finished The Three-Body Problem and was left with a feeling of general annoyance. I'm fine with trilogies, but don't end a book just hanging in the middle of the story. You have to have some kind of mini arc! I read the plots of the second and third books on Wikipedia, and I think I'm done there.

Then I picked up Pnin by Nabokov. His writing tickles my brain in just the right way and makes me so happy.

Re 3 body problem, the good parts are the ideas. The literary execution, imho, sucks. I mean, it's not awful, but it's kinda just ok maybe, not something great. The ideas, however, are very good. Of course, I am judging via translation from an unfamiliar culture, so I can't really decide where the problem lies, but if you read the main plot details, and thought about the problems raised there - you haven't lost too much by not reading all of it, IMHO.

I recently finished The Three-Body Problem as well, and I felt much more satisfied by the conclusion than you did. To me, the story arc of the first book is about solving the mystery of what is going on. Why are scientists commiting suicide, why does Wang see crazy ass numbers, what is the deal behind the three body game, etc. All those questions were answered by the end, which is really what I wanted. Yes, the book sets up future plot, but that's fine.

Honestly I can't say enough good things about that book. It's just... really, really good. It gives me hope that science fiction isn't dead just yet, if we can still get tour de force books like that one. I realize it's not that recent of a book, but it's recent enough to still give me hope.

I read it after seeing tons of rave reviews, so you're clearly not alone! It just didn't resonate with me somehow. However, I did really enjoy the parts inside the game, and learning about a period of Chinese history that I am pretty ignorant about.

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