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mineofilms · 7 months

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Non-Spoiler Review of Remembrance of Earth's Past

Remembrance of Earth's Past or known as (The Three-Body Trilogy) by Liu Cixin • Book 1: The Three-Body Problem • Book 2: The Dark Forest • Book 3: Death's End • Book 4: The Redemption of Time (written by Baoshu) (Optional)

The opinion by many out in the world is that the “Remembrance of Earth’s Past” is the greatest science fiction series every written. Written by Liu Cixin, a Chinese computer engineer and science fiction writer. Liu Cixin is a nine-time winner of China's Galaxy Award. In 2015 Liu Cixin won the Hugo Award for his novel “The Three-Body Problem” as well as the 2017 Locus Award for “Death's End.” Liu Cixin also won the Chinese Nebula Award. In English translations of his works, his name is given as Cixin Liu. He is a member of China Science Writers Association and the vice president of Shanxi Writers Association. He is sometimes called "Da Liu" (Big Liu) by his fellow science fiction writers in China.

The “Remembrance of Earth’s Past” is the first Science Fiction series to hit the national spotlight in China’s history. It is so popular China holds the series in high regard as a National Treasure. The book series was published from 2006-2011 and translated into English by Ken Liu starting in 2014 to 2019. American audiences are only now discovering this masterpiece of Science Fiction and Existential Horror. Netflix has a show planned for 2024 for “The Three-Body Problem,” the first book. It is uncertain if all the books will be converted for the show or if they are only doing the first book. The main trilogy take place over a few hundred years starting in and around the aftermath of World War 2 and go up to the year 2400+ to another 18 million years into humanity’s future. The optional 4th book which isn’t officially part of the canon but has the permission from Liu Cixin. I personally count the fourth book as part of the canon, but it is also ignored by other readers of the series. It is totally optional and to me does not hurt the story, plot or characters. It just gives the series a proper end rather than the ambiguous ending left at the end of “Death’s End.”

This BLOG serves as a NON-Spoiler introduction to the series. Here we are just going to describe the basic plots of the four books and some thoughts about them. The hope is I grab your interest enough so that you all go and either read these books or listen to them on audiobook. The audiobooks were very well produced and have that radio/theater quality and style to them. Very few science fiction novels actually change how I think. This series absolutely did that with its concepts of first contact, the dark forest theory, game theory, nihilism, time, relativity, relativistic time, reality possibly being an infinitely long loop, love, death, infinity, multiple-dimensional realities, macro and micro quantum reality, religion not being real and existentialism.

The Three-Body Problem (Book 1):

“Set against the backdrop of China's Cultural Revolution, a secret military project sends signals into space to establish contact with aliens. An alien civilization on the brink of destruction captures the signal and plans to invade Earth. Meanwhile, on Earth, the greatest scientists around the world start to commit suicide, different camps start forming, planning to either welcome the superior beings and help them take over a world seen as corrupt, or to fight against the invasion.” https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20518872-the-three-body-problem#?ref=nav_brws

The Dark Forest (Book 2):

“Earth is reeling from the revelation of a coming alien invasion — four centuries in the future. The aliens' human collaborators have been defeated, but the presence of the sophons, supercomputers printed on protons. These subatomic particles allow the Trisolarans instant access to all human information in real time. They have the ability to disrupt Earth’s ability to create technologies greater than the Trisolarans. This all means that Earth's defense plans are exposed to the enemy. Only the human mind remains a secret. This is the motivation for the Wallfacer Project, a daring plan that grants four men enormous resources to design secret strategies hidden through deceit and misdirection from Earth and Trisolaris alike. Three of the Wallfacers are influential statesmen and scientists but the fourth is a total unknown. Luo Ji, an unambitious Chinese astronomer and sociologist, is baffled by his new status. All he knows is that he's the one Wallfacer that Trisolaris wants dead.” https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23168817-the-dark-forest

Death's End (Book 3):

“Half a century after the Doomsday Battle, the uneasy balance of Dark Forest Deterrence keeps the Trisolaran invaders at bay. Earth enjoys unprecedented prosperity due to the infusion of Trisolaran knowledge. With human science advancing daily and the Trisolarans adopting Earth culture, it seems that the two civilizations will soon be able to co-exist peacefully as equals without the terrible threat of mutually assured annihilation. But the peace has also made humanity complacent. Cheng Xin, an aerospace engineer from the early 21st century, awakens from hibernation in this new age. She brings with her knowledge of a long-forgotten program, “yhe Staircase Program,” dating from the beginning of the Trisolar Crisis, and her very presence may upset the delicate balance between two worlds. Will humanity reach for the stars or die in its cradle?” https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25451264-death-s-end

The Redemption of Time (written by Baoshu, Book 4):

“Set in the universe of “Three-Body Problem trilogy,” “The Redemption of Time” continues the events from the end of “Death’s End.” This original story by Baoshu―published with Liu’s support―envisions the aftermath of the conflict between humanity and the extraterrestrial Trisolarans. In the midst of an interstellar war, Yun Tianming found himself on the front lines. Riddled with cancer, he chose to end his life by entering “the Staircase Program,” only to find himself flash frozen and launched into space where the Trisolaran First Fleet awaited. Captured and tortured beyond endurance for decades, Yun eventually succumbed to helping the aliens subjugate humanity in order to save Earth from complete destruction. Granted a healthy clone body by the Trisolarans, Yun has spent his very long life in exile as a traitor to the human race. Nearing the end of his existence at last, he suddenly receives another reprieve―and another regeneration. A consciousness calling itself “The Spirit,” later, “The Master,” has recruited him to wage war against an entity that threatens the existence of the entire universe, “the Lurker.” However, Yun refuses to be a pawn again and makes his own plans to save humanity’s future…” https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36262251-the-redemption-of-time

My Opinion:

I will do a bigger BLOG-breakdown of the series with heavy spoilers at some point in the future. This BLOG is for people who have not read or listened to the series and have seen my posts using quotes from all four novels for the past three months. I tend to post quotes from the book I am listening to when I do my workouts, nature walks or treadmill atmospheres. This book series is nothing but brilliant. It’s no wonder China has been trying to adapt this to visual media. As of the writing of this BLOG there are five listings for this on IMDB.com for different kinds of visual media for this property. The only one I think I will have access to, that I can actually watch, will be the 2024 Netflix show on the “Three-Body Problem.” Depending on if you read the optional fourth book, “The Redemption of Time,” the meaning of these novels take on their own meaning.

• What Is Real? • Is Reality Real? • Do We Even Know The Difference If Any of “This” Is Real? • Does Anything At All Have Actual Meaning? • Does Anything Actually “Matter?”

The phrase "This has all happened before, and it will all happen again" is a line from the reimagined science fiction series "Battlestar Galactica." In the context of the show, it reflects the idea of cyclical history and the recurrence of events. The idea is that history repeats itself, and the same patterns and conflicts reoccur throughout time. This is a theme over the course of the four novels that is heavily explored.

This series is sometimes referred to as “existential horror.” This isn’t to imply horror in the traditional sense. Like, say, the existential horror of aliens invading Earth, like in, “Independence Day,” a monster on the ship “Alien,” or the everyday reality we live in not being real at all, “the Matrix.” It is more existentially terrifying from concepts it raises and how those concepts are dealt from the different perspective of these ideas coming from the different cultural perspective of a computer engineer in China rather than our standard Western way of telling a story, dealing with characters and the existential themes of the nature of our Universe. How this series deals with these questions in our everyday society. An example I will pull from, that really isn’t a spoiler, but how love between two people is dealt with here. China handles these things much differently, culturally and artistically, than say, how American writers tend to write about love in a fictional story. Once you get used to how the information is being displayed in the confines of the story and characters; the easier you get lost in the existential terror of the events as they unfold. To me, listening to these books was like how I saw “The Matrix” for the first time or “Alien” for the first time. That it was more than just a monster movie or insane visual action. You get lost in the concept of “what if” this could all be at play in some point in Humanity’s near or perhaps distant future. That “what if” this is all some sort of simulation or video game where the plot is so fixed that any choice you make has no impact, imprint or evidence on the outcome of the game. That no matter what you do in the game; you end up at the same boss fight at the end, with the same life, the same weapons, the same everything. It's these types of environments where the lack of realism is felt and where we eventually realize that something is not right with said reality. Human beings possess a kind of intuitive alarm in our minds. We hear a voice that isn’t a voice. It is a thought, but we describe to others as a voice. Others do not hear what you heard. They only know of it because you described it to them. However, they do not actually know for themselves. An example would be; we trust when we look up at the Moon that it is there, but you, I, most, have never been there to touch, see, step foot on it to know it if is actually there or not. Granted, we do know that it is there. We see it from Earth, we see its impact on the tides. We feel its gravity. Our mind alerts us when something doesn't feel real. That is usually how we know we are in a dream. Some things seem real, some seem normal and then you see a giant spider in the sky where the Sun should be. Eventually the brain will tell you what is real and what is not real. It is when our realities are flipped upside down and inside out, like a tesseract, that feelings on reality become existential horror. If we were in a simulation of reality and everything was so perfect that we’d began to perceive the artificiality of our surroundings.

Reality is never perfect in the concept of what we humans think of as perfection. In reality perfection and infinity are one-in-the-same. That; “on a long enough timeline, the survival rate for everyone drops to zero. It's only after we've lost everything that we're free to do anything. You're not your job. You're not how much money you have in the bank. You're not the car you drive. You're not the contents of your wallet. You're not your fucking khakis. You are not a unique snowflake. You're the all-singing, all-dancing crap of the world...” ― Chuck Palahniuk, “FIGHT CLUB.” Granted this is not the Universe of “Fight Club.” However, it could be. Some of the quotes in Palahniuk’s “Fight Club” and “Choke” speak to me in a way that his characters tend to live in a reality-bubble where the main character is always questioning whether or not the reality they are in is a real one. “The ability to let that which does not matter truly slide. Self-improvement is masturbation. Maybe self-destruction is the answer.” ― Chuck Palahniuk, “FIGHT CLUB”

If reality seems too good to be true or too erratic to be natural it can lead to dissatisfaction and rejection of that reality. That is why I say if you do not want your reality shattered. If you do not want to think of humanity, you, us, everything, every moment, every lover, every taste, touch, smell, sight seen or idea in your mind as just another grain of sand on an infinite beach and that grain having no effect whatsoever, no impact, imprint or evidence on the outcome of the collective sand on that infinite beach. That no matter what you do as a grain of sand on the beach you end up with the same life, the same job, the same woes, the same loves, tastes, fixations, disappointments, depressions, disappointments; the same everything. Then do not read these books. If you believe in God. You might not anymore at the end of these books. If you believe all life is precious you also may not believe that anymore. That is how impactful this series can be. However, if you are just a science fiction junky, like myself, and want your mind blown by an amazing story, I implore you to read or listen to these.

The Three-Body Series explores the grandeur and mysteries of the universe. It underscores the contrast between human mythologies and the scientific understanding of the cosmos. The vastness of space, the insignificance of humanity in the face of cosmic forces, and the pursuit of knowledge and scientific truth. The series invites readers to contemplate the Universe's enormity and complexity, highlighting the importance of scientific exploration. Liu Cixin's work combines science, philosophy, and storytelling to convey a sense of wonder about the Universe, which forced me to question our place in the cosmos. This series will intersect with science, philosophy, and human existence, making it a compelling read for those who appreciate profound intellectual exploration in science fiction literature.This series not only offers a riveting science fiction story, but also encourages readers to contemplate the nature of knowledge, the mysteries of the universe, time, and the implications of our place within it. It's a compelling invitation to embrace the wonders of science and the unknown, making it a must-read for those who appreciate both intellectual depth and an engaging narrative.

“The creation myths of the various peoples and religions of the world pale when compared to the glory of the big bang.” Liu Cixin, “The Three-Body Problem”

Non-Spoiler Review of Remembrance of Earth's Past Also known as "The Three-Body Trilogy" by David-Angelo Mineo 10/25/2023 2,514 Words

#thethreebodyproblem #remembranceofearthspast #cixinliu #thedarkforest #deathsend #redemptionoftime #goodreads #sciencefiction #thelurker #aliens #blackhole

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nikkifinnie-blog · 6 years

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Nice 'N' Sleazy Festival, Morecambe 2018! Day One!

Friday 25th May - Day One The 13th Nice N Sleazy festival is upon us. Big Ivan has pulled it off again. The Trimpell Sports and Social Club, yet again is the perfect location for the next three days of Punk and Ska music. The on-site camping lends itself to the holiday atmosphere and the relaxed feel of this festival, set it apart from many other festivals of it's type. The entire team has made sure it will be an incredible weekend and there's many people to thanks for making sure it goes without any drama's. Stu Taylor (STP Records), School of Rock Media (SORM), The Trimpell Camera Club, Security, Catering and the many crew members and volunteers will make this an event to remember. The Line up is incredible and the scene is set so, let's get this party started. (Yes, there was a pre-show last night but, hey ho, let's go) https://www.nicensleazy.info Thirteen Hailing from Falkirk in Scotland, Thirteen have the opening slot at Nice N Sleazy this year. They proudly take the stage and fire straight into their set. The songs have a reflective theme running through them harking back to the glory days of punk but with a modern feel to them. Quoting influences from SLF, NOFX and The Wildhearts, this blend of UK/USA – Punk and Rock comes through in the music. Dolly (Guitar/Vocals) gives a shout out that the bands from Scotland much to the amusement of a few who respond with references to kilts!!! “10,000 Record Sleeves” goes down well as Dolly brings some nostalgia about his record collection, then “Days Gone By” follows on with Craig (Bass/Vocals) and Greg (Drums) provide the solid foundation for the tuneful guitar licks. “Tattered Sleeve” is the next song up, but there’s no evidence of any sleeves tonight as the band are sporting cut off jackets and T shirts, necessary as the temp gets hotter from now on all weekend! The plug for their current E.P. “Spirit of Resistance” introduces the title track. https://soundcloud.com/raymond-thomson/thirteen-10000-record-sleeves https://www.facebook.com/ThirteenUK The Lurkers Rumours were out that Guitarist Dave Kemp was stuck on the motorway as Stuart Meadows was warming up his kit. It was true, Dave, stuck in traffic and driving for over 5 1/2hrs for what should’ve been an easy afternoon drive. To compound things, the gremlins played havoc with his amp/guitar to the point where Arthur (Bass) had to play stand up comedian by rattling off some jokes. The irony was not lost, Morecambe being the home of one of the best loved comedians in Eric. Arthur does a great job keeping the crowd amused with his impromptu stand up and once the gremlins had been sorted, The Lurkers got into their raucous punk set with some real attitude. “I’m on Heat” gets the gig off to a flyer and there’s no respite as Stu fires into the second song “Sure and Steady”. Mental Health is a subject that will be referenced by many bands over the weekend as Arthur introduces “In the Rubber Room”. A tune from the last album “Come and reminisce if you think you’re old enough” is up next and Arthur sings about the hey days and cleverly makes reference to some of the original punk bands, slipping in one liners from their hits. The New York Dolls song “Pills” is a Lurkers favourite and Dave Kemp delivers the opening lick superbly. Dave’s great rock n roll lead solo during the song makes for a memorable version of the cover. As the audience shout out their favourite songs in the breaks, Arthur goes with “Mass Media Believer” the “B” side to “Freak Show” which is up next. There’s a great mix of new and old tonight and “Shadow” and “Little Ol Wine Drinker Me” close an eventful performance with a spirited display from the threesome. The Lurkers overcome adversity to deliver a cracking live set. https://youtu.be/yl7mdKsPvbw https://www.facebook.com/The-Lurkers-243674112460296/ Captain Hotknives Up next, some delightful Punk Humour and cleverly crafted lyrics from the solo acoustic Captain Hotknives. With song titles “Anarchist Squat Punk Band” and “I Skanked my Nana” he can’t fail to go down well with the crowd. The room is busy and show their appreciation. https://www.facebook.com/captainhotknives Drongos for Europe Tommy Drongo (Vocals) greets the crowd and wonders when the last time they played Nice N Sleazy…. It may have been a while but launching into “May Day”, he reminds everyone how relevant the band are to this day with their aggressive anti-government/anti-establishment songs. The passion and delivery are there right from the off as “there’s gonna be a riot” has a rousing effect on the audience. Dek (Bass) opens the next song “Whose Army” up next has Tommy asking if we we're going to war, who would it be with? The set continues with a “best of” feel as “Stand Up Be Strong” and “Who’s Got The Power” are played with real purpose. “Who’s the drunkest person in the room” asks Tommy as he fires into the next few songs launching the mic at the barrier for the singalongs. “Ain’t No Way We’re Backing Down” has Mac Mayhem (Guitar) thrashing his way through the song chopping chords at the verse until Danny (Drums) and Dek (Bass) are left at the bridge with the crowd in full voice. “Freakazoid” builds up the frenzy until Tommy announces the last song and “Revolution Times” brings the charged set to a close. The Drongo’s never disappoint and tonight was no different. https://youtu.be/FyhQIxzKGDM https://www.facebook.com/drongos-for-europe-251933998393/ 999 “Hello friends…. Alright” screams Nick Cash (Guitar/Vocals) before 999 get their set off to a blistering start. Early favourites “Inside Out”, “Hit Me and “Feeling Alright With The Crew” get the set off to a great start as Nick is thankful for a good crew at Nice N Sleazy. “Lie Lie Lie” up next and shows the band to be on form with Guy Days (Guitar) showing off his talents with some great punk/rock n roll licks. “Some of the Places I Used to Go” and “Boys in the Gang” draw upon the bands influences and keep the gig on track. It’s Arthur (Bass) and Stuart Meadows (Drums) second appearance of the night having played with The Lurkers earlier as they begin the recognisable “Titanic Reaction” from the 1st Album. Guy takes over on vocals for “I Really Like You” and Arthur demands the crowd have a pogo! Stu’s furiously tight drumming drives the song along at pace for the 2 minutes it lasts. Nick starts the next song with a howl warning the audience that the big bad wolf or Donald Trump might get them! “Little Red Riding Hood” is followed by the frantic “No Pity”. A new song “Last Breath” from the bands last album keeps up the tempo with a singalong “La,La,La” chorus and great drumming from Stu at the bridge with some heavy toms/kick to help the singalong. Nick thanks the crowd for their support over the years, making comment that they’re still there after all these years. An enthusiastic crowd are rewarded with a great version of “Emergency” with Guy thrashing out the robotic chords to suit Stu’s powerful drumming, “I’m back in full attack” sings Nick and he’s not far wrong as 999 have given a great performance tonight. Nick asks the crowd for a singalong to “Nasty Nasty” and they oblige with a rousing “What the hell is wrong with you”!!!! The song bursts into life and 999 turn the clock back as band and crowd show their energy. Guy’s guitar solo and Arthur’s driving bass match the urgency of Stu’s drumming. The hits keep coming with “Homicide” as the set nears the end. Nick thanks the crowd for a great evening before they launch into an encore of “My Street Stinks” – “Long live the music” is Nicks parting cry and they depart. https://youtu.be/FM6iDRHlbFE https://www.facebook.com/999Music/ Litterbug Local band Litterbug from Blackpool bring their highly energetic, manic thrash pop punk sound to Nice N Sleazy. Quoting influences from The Pixies/Buzzcocks/Nine Black Alps, their sets starts off at a furious pace with some incredibly tight drumming and edgy bass complimented with great short sharp chords reminiscent of the early punk songs of The Buzzcocks “times up” but sped up. Stuart Diggle (Guitar/Vocals), Andy Higgins (Bass/Vocals) and Cas Streetly (Drums/Vocals) form this frantic trio who were formed in 2005 and have honed their performances since then. “Introvert”, “Prozac Zombie” and “I will Not Explain” get their night off to a great start and some great banter from the band with the audience keeps the evening going. A shout out for Paul Carter as Stu dedicates a song to the well-known punk practitioner as they sing “Don’t Change”. There’s time for punk fanatic Dave Colton to get the band to pose for a “Get Well Kaz” picture for his daughter who’s recovering from surgery. Back at it and the tempo gets faster towards the end of the set before it’s brought to an end with “Petrol Situation”. A great set well delivered by Litterbug so check out their upcoming gigs. https://youtu.be/Tbq16_bT5qg https://www.facebook.com/litterbugblackpool/ Slaughter II It’s gone midnight before Slaughter II take the stage, some delays earlier in the evening have meant Edweena Banger (Guitar/Vocals) takes the stage to the die-hards that are left to see the headline act tonight and they are in for a treat. The heavily 70’s influenced rock’n’roll is delivered by the three members of Slaughter II, Brian Grantham (Drums) an original member of Slaughter and the Dogs and Rick Sullivan (Bass). The set opens with “Now I Know”, “The Bitch” and “Boston Baby” without interruption before Edweena takes a breath to welcome themselves to Nice N Sleazy. The “Mystery Girl” is up next followed by “”Love In New York Tonight” which has a real flavor of The Stooges to it. MC5/New York Dolls wouldn’t be out of place on the bill tonight if they were to follow on but for now, we have “What You Do to Me” to singalong to before “God Save Us All”, a song from the latest album. ”Runaway” and “It’s All Over Now” keep the crowd bouncing with a great version of “White Light / White Heat” going down a storm with the faithful audience. Edweena now brings the “hits” with “Are You Ready Now” and “Cranked Up Really High” being instantly received by the crowd as they crash around until the seminal penultimate song “Where Have All the Boot boys Gone” bring the set to a near frenzy. The crowd demand an encore and “Calling Me” see’s the band end on a high. https://youtu.be/HS2As3yh2T8 https://www.facebook.com/Slaughter-II-899561546850816/ Read the full article

#999 #CaptainHotknives #DrongosForEurope #Litterbug #NiceandSleazy #SlaughterII #TheLurkers #Thirteen

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