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I bet they skip through the first half of the first book pretty quickly!
I did note a distinct lack of China compared to the book…
I bet they skip through the first half of the first book pretty quickly!
LOL this is TV series, they won't follow the book or give you any closure for 5 series then have a rushed completely unsatifying finale when the money runs out.
It looks good to me but I'm not sure if it's MrsOmen's cup of tea, she gets scared easily.
Not heard of the books, this looks interesting!
OK, so dumb question perhaps, but should we perhaps stop doing that SETI thing where we broadcast to nearby stars?
You should probably watch/read this 😉 (although that might be season 2)
Looks interesting, is in fact v boring. Well, the first book was. I honestly couldn't be arsed with the other two novels in the trilogy
Read the first book recently in prep for the show. I'm betting it'll be an inspired by, rather than direct interpretation. Still I'm looking forward to it.
These are next up on my reading list (after I finish 1923).
I having a si-fi break after re-reading all if Iain M Banks culture series (The Hydrogen Sonata is ia work of art)
Looks interesting, is in fact v boring. Well, the first book was. I honestly couldn’t be arsed with the other two novels in the trilogy
It does seem to divide opinions, I thought the first book was such a turgid mess I had no desire to follow it up but then again -
The books were great
I might give the show a try.
I’ve never heard of the books, but I can confidently say this:
LOL this is TV series, they won’t follow the book or give you any closure for 5 series then have a rushed completely unsatifying finale when the money runs out.
I found the first book a difficult read, but the underlying premise and general storyline was great so it could make an excellent show.
Looks interesting, is in fact v boring. Well, the first book was. I honestly couldn’t be arsed with the other two novels in the trilogyIt does seem to divide opinions, I thought the first book was such a turgid mess I had no desire to follow it up but then again –
Same here.
First one is a bit slow perhaps, dark forest was ace.
I'm not sure how many times I've read this about series of books - always SF! - and carried on to read the 'best' only to find that it's as disappointing as any other in the series, and I've wasted 937 hours of my life wading through a mess of poor writing and dodgy concepts. 😀
The concepts certainly won’t be the issue here. Some of the best ones I can remember reading.
Always wondered if some of the overall quirks of the books were from them being translated from Chinese
I've "read" the first and the next has been on my list for a while. Actually did an audiobook which worked well given that it has some slow bits.
The three body problem was the first part of my maths degree that I found really, really properly interesting, so the geeky aspects were always going to appeal. I hope they show the mega human computer and don't skim over those sorts of details to dumb it down.
Always wondered if some of the overall quirks of the books were from them being translated from Chinese
I'd agree with this - I found the cultural quirks and language the most difficult thing, the science and characters were good though.
The three body problem was the first part of my maths degree that I found really, really properly interesting, so the geeky aspects were always going to appeal. I hope they show the mega human computer and don’t skim over those sorts of details to dumb it down.
I think that they'll need to show things like the 'human' computer for it to work.
The concepts certainly won’t be the issue here. Some of the best ones I can remember reading.
I meant that in general, not specifically about these books.
I did the first (audiobook) and found it pretty boring/crap
I started reading the book, and swapped the book and audible in the car, found the narrator of the audio book to not be the best and tricky to follow which character was who.
OK, so dumb question perhaps, but should we perhaps stop doing that SETI thing where we broadcast to nearby stars?
If we stopped today it would take over 4 years for anything being sent out to stop reaching the nearest solar system. But if someone had been receiving those signals and wanted to come say hello, - travelling at the same speed as Voyager is at present, it would take them about 70,000 years to get here.
If we stopped today it would take over 4 years for anything being sent out to stop reaching the nearest solar system. But if someone had been receiving those signals and wanted to come say hello, – travelling at the same speed as Voyager is at present, it would take them about 70,000 years to get here.
So in 70,004 years the sh!t is going to hit the fan, is that what you're saying?
I'm another who read the first book and stopped. I recently re-read it just on the basis that I couldn't be as bad as I remembered it, and enjoyed it a lot more the second time around. The first time I got properly hacked off with the pacing. Maybe I should read the next two just to see what happens.
Maybe I should read the next two just to see what happens.
It happens alright. I enjoyed the Tencent adaptation despite the pacing.
I read the books and found them poorly written (probably due to a completely different language structure). Even then, the concept behind it all was ... OK? ... but not amazing. I'll probably watch the series but I am a bit puzzled why there doesn't seem to be too much of a focus on China in the trailer as the context was quite important (and one of the more interesting parts) in the books.
Not a problem...just need a bigger patio
If they can make the bloody awful Three Body Game bits work, at all, then that'll be something. How that managed to be half of the first novel I have no idea.
<spoiler>
"So, you have played our terrible computer game, and kept on playing it, for some reason. This proves that you are ready to join our secret society and plot to give the world to aliens!"
"WTF? No! I mean the game is basically just a mathematical puzzle with a weird alternative history thing glommed on, there's literally nothing in it that could possibly work as a selection process for your cult. Does this ever work?"
"Uh, no actually, now you mention it, this is all fundamentally moronic. We'd be basically recruiting neckbeard OCD gamers without knowing the first thing about their feelings on aliens or the worthiness of man, which apparently is the entire point but we left it out, and then inevitably most of them would go straight to the authorities. Weird that we never thought of that? Oh and also it all falls apart if they google to learn about the three body problem, WHICH IS THE NAME OF THE ****ING GAME and therefore a little bit of a clue."
"Well good news, it will work this time and definitely not because I'm working for the police."
"Hooray! We will instantly tell you our secrets!"
It's like recruiting for ISIS using Professor Layton and the Curious Village.
Looking at the trailers the game part is 'better' than the current game tech. Super realistic etc presumably using alien tech. so puts a better narrative on the game part than the book did.
"From the creators of Game of Thrones"
Will the aliens have boobs then?
OK, so dumb question perhaps, but should we perhaps stop doing that SETI thing where we broadcast to nearby stars?<br /><br />
Shouldn’t have to point out the obvious, but SETI is designed to recognise signals from extraterrestrial intelligence in other star systems. <br /><br />75 star systems and potentially 29 habitable planets up to 100 light-years/30.6 parsecs away could so far have detected radio signals from Earth, so a metaphor about horses and stable doors is probably appropriate here.
Its out. Anyone watching yet?
Ooohhh, I’d somehow convinced myself it was next month it was out. Probably watch tomorrow
Couple episodes in I'm enjoying it, although I think if may help that I've read the book so know exactly what's going on....
Couple episodes in I’m enjoying it, although I think if may help that I’ve read the book so know exactly what’s going on…
Good luck, the 3-body problem is unsolvable - involving as it does attempts to predict the interactions between stellar systems where there’s two stars and at least one planetary object orbiting each other.
The concept I find fascinating, however my inability to parse mathematical models and equations rather gets in the way…
https://www.polygon.com/24105247/3-three-body-problem-what-why-unsolvable-netflix-liu-cixin
Being unsolvable is kinda the point of the book/s....
Watched episode 1 last night. And 8 minutes of episode 2.
‘Physics is broken’ 🤦🏻♂️ I’m expecting that line to come up a lot. I thought Mr Scott had this one ‘you cannae break the laws of physics Cap’n’.
The uncomfortable-looking VR helmet and subsequent in-game scenes were not quite as good as ready player one.
The opening cultural revolution and subsequent science gulag stuff was good. Albeit not quite as riddled with sneaks, disinformation, and treachery as I’d have expected
I’ll watch more but so far it is neither as dramatic nor as credible as the 2K restoration of ‘the 39 steps’ I watched at the manchester film festival earlier in the evening. And that’s based on a John Buchan story and was made in the 70s.
I'm quite enjoying it, though it does help that I've read the book several times. I can imagine it would be a bit confusing without reading the book first. Rationing it to one episode a week.
Not read the book. Started it last night, seems very good. Not at all confusing, but rather violent.
Watched episode 1 last night. Got to the end so it must be watchable to a point, but the London karaoke pub scene may have been written by aliens.
Some of the acting was people reading lines to each other "nanotubules" etc clunking off the lips. An Sean Lock's flatmate was not given a right lot to work with.
Crawls to a low three stars...
three stars
ha.
'We' started watching last night, neither of us have read the books. We've watched the first two episodes.
Relatively slow start (which I like) and an intriguing storyline. We will watch more and hope for the best :o)
Just finished the last one. Not mad keen on the wooden english actors but it's still good. Reminds me a bit of the new Battlestar Galactica with the cylons. Make sure you're not eating your tea during Episode 5 😳.
Ugh restarted episode 2. Weak. I’ll see what happens but this is poor work so far.
‘This is fog mental’. And that is the point where this series becomes blah blah blah blah.
this is poor work so far
Agreed, a load of tosh and incredibly boring to boot.
right load of nonsense.
Interview with the show folks https://www.wired.com/story/netflix-3-body-problem-benioff-weiss-woo-interview/
got most of the way through episode 4. The characters are definitely in a parallel universe. One where none of them have seen any thrillers and where disbelief can be permanently suspended.
it was sad watching Vyvyan sell out to the man 😕 can't make my mind up is trout pout or cod gob ?
Episode 1 is good enough for me to watch Ep.2. I haven't read any of the trilogy though
Hmm, looks like opinion on the series is divided as that on the books!
I watched the first one, not gripping but easy enough to follow given the ground it covered, I'm happy to give another episode a try.
Kinda ok but makes you feel like we';ve 9 series and literally 400 years before we see aliens. Not sure I'm in for S2.
Is anyone else who has read the books kind of basking in smugness at all the "boring" comments? No spoilers from me, but I bought it to see what the fuss was all about, not really expecting to like it. Ended up binge-reading all 3, back to back, despite how slow it can be and how dense some of it is to get through. It remains the most terrifying bit of fiction I've ever read.
I've read the books. Mrs OD hasn't - watching the show together is an interesting test of those two perspectives.
I think it's fine so far 1.5 episodes in - not brilliant but good enough so far.
The earlier Chinese TV adaption is on Prime - I've not watched it but it's supposed to be follow to the books more closely. Just checked 30 episodes and bizarrely some are included in prime and some are pay to view
Just finished watching it. I really enjoyed it - most of the major plot points are in there and the changes in the characters don't bother me massively. I do worry whether seasons 2 and 3 will actually get made though. Season 1 cost $160m and it will cost a lot more as it gets more and more spacey.
.
I thought the books were tedious ****, and I’ve read a lot of SF.
The show was ok, but poorly acted and Basil Exposition was left out of the credits. Episode 5 was grim.
I do think sometimes the books need to have a bit of a tweak to make them watchable and more into a screenplay, so happy for changes most of the time, it is worth a watch, but does suffer a bit from the acting and world building to appease the book i'd say.
Episode 5 grim? Certainly a bit grisly. And just a bit ridiculous too.
Especially with the signposting of ‘well if we use missiles… if we use SAS …’. The method chosen seems to maximize fatalities and chaos and imo would also reduce the chance of finding what they wanted intact. Unlikely to go unnoticed on the Panama Canal I’d imagine.
I finished the series. It wasn’t quite in the same league of awful and tedious as Foundation or Rings of Power but I won’t be back for season 2.
I got to the end of episode 2 and thought this is not for me and gave up.
Absolute nonsense but enjoyable nonsense. It passes the time. Did make me go and find out what the hell a Cherenkov tank is though. Every day's a school day.
Absolute nonsense but enjoyable nonsense
That’s the consensus in this house too. My other half seems to have an amazing knack for asking questions in this show that are explained 30s later. For a non-SF reader like her the concepts are just enough to have her hooked, and let the show away with its many flaws. Sending a brain into space seemed to really work for her.
The main thing I feel it’s missing is the feeling of the actual crisis in the Crisis Era.
They really seem to have blown the CGI budget, some areas look like they really had to peg it back
I watched the series but I haven't read the books. It was ok, but not great. I couldn't give much of a shit about most of the main characters. They're very whiny.
It passed the time in a hotel, but I'm not in a great rush to see a second season. Unless it's as magnificent as Skyline <sarcasm> and features aliens cross breeding with humans. Presumably, they'll have to anal probe some hillbillies from the middle of nowhere first. To keep it realistic.