A review by purplemoonmyst
The Dark Forest by Cixin Liu

dark tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

It has been a looong time ever since a book has challenged me to the fact I had to go look up the "cliff notes" version of said book. Friend, I will tell you this, This book, The Dark Forrest, did just that. I understood Three-Body Problem just fine, so it was totally unexpected to have trouble with The Dark Forrest.

To be clear, the writing itself was very, very good. It was the theory that threw me. I can generally sustain a far enough disbelief that I can make the story work in my head, and I do not have to go all over the Internet trying to find someone that would explain the Dark Forrest Theory in plain English. I mean, I could even make the whole Ringworld make sense in my head, and even when it came out that Ringworld could not mathematically exist, I could wrap my head around the idea.

The Dark Forest is the first book since High School that threw me for a loop this bad. I am serious. When I first heard of the Dark forest in the book, I had to and look it up in the cliff notes version.  I am still not too sure except that all of Humanity is doomed for some reason. I hope that the Next book, "Deaths End," ties up all the stories in Book 1 and 2. Because I truly can't see what the end WILL be. Expect the destroy of all Humanity...Other than that, your guess is good as mine.

All of that aside, I truly loved this book... I have a thing for Chinese and Russian authors, and I have to say that Liu Cixin is super talented in wring a Sci-fi space opera, my favorite Genre. Show me some aliens and a spaceship, and I get all grabby-like. It is miiinne. ALLLLLLLMINE!!

I love anything that stretches my mind. If you do not try to work your creative muscles, you will lose it. In that regard, I loved this book, AND I am next in line for a copy at the Library; and I   cant wait to see how it all plays out.