Synopses & Reviews
A standalone science fiction novel from the New York Times bestselling and award-winning author of The Three-Body Problem.
When Chen’s parents are incinerated before his eyes by a blast of ball lightning, he devotes his life to cracking the secret of mysterious natural phenomenon. His search takes him to stormy mountaintops, an experimental military weapons lab, and an old Soviet science station. The more he learns, the more he comes to realize that ball lightning is just the tip of an entirely new frontier in particle physics. Although Chen’s quest provides a purpose for his lonely life, his reasons for chasing his elusive quarry come into conflict with soldiers and scientists who have motives of their own: a beautiful army major with an obsession with dangerous weaponry, and a physicist who has no place for ethical considerations in his single-minded pursuit of knowledge.
Ball Lightning, by award-winning Chinese science fiction author Cixin Liu, is the story of what happens when the beauty of scientific inquiry runs up against a push to harness new discoveries with no consideration of their possible consequences.
Review
"Hugo Award winner Liu crafts a story that at times feels like a procedural drama, supernatural mystery, military thriller, and romance novel. It's fast paced and based heavily in science yet never overwhelms readers who might be unfamiliar with the foundational concepts....Liu's wildly imaginative, skillful use of imagery, metaphor, and analogy will appeal to fans of sf and science-based mysteries, as well as YA readers." Library Journal
Review
"Ball Lightning continues Liu's combination of intriguing scientific speculation and engaging, evocative prose. Highly recommended for fans of Liu and any general readers looking for an exciting and breathtaking new sf read." Booklist (Starred Review)
Synopsis
One of the foundational novels by beloved science fiction author Cixin Liu, Ball Lightning is a stunning tale of physics, ethics, and one man's journey for answers that may come at too high a cost.
When Chen's parents are incinerated before his eyes by a blast of ball lightning, he devotes his life to cracking the secret of this mysterious natural phenomenon. His search takes him to stormy mountaintops, an experimental military weapons lab, and an old Soviet science station.
The more he learns, the more he comes to realize that ball lightning is just the tip of an entirely new frontier. While Chen's quest for answers gives purpose to his lonely life, it also pits him against soldiers and scientists with motives of their own: a beautiful army major with an obsession with dangerous weaponry, and a physicist who has no place for ethical considerations in his single-minded pursuit of knowledge.
Synopsis
From the New York Times bestselling author of the Three-Body Trilogy, Cixin Liu's Ball Lightning is the story of what happens when the beauty of scientific inquiry runs up against the drive to harness new discoveries with no consideration of their possible consequences.
When Chen's parents are incinerated before his eyes by a blast of ball lightning, he devotes his life to cracking the secret of this mysterious natural phenomenon. His search takes him to stormy mountaintops, an experimental military weapons lab, and an old Soviet science station.
The more he learns, the more he comes to realize that ball lightning is just the tip of an entirely new frontier. While Chen's quest for answers gives purpose to his lonely life, it also pits him against soldiers and scientists with motives of their own: a beautiful army major with an obsession with dangerous weaponry, and a physicist who has no place for ethical considerations in his single-minded pursuit of knowledge.
Wildly imaginative.--Barack Obama on The Three-Body Problem trilogy
Tor books by Cixin Liu
The Three-Body Problem Series
#1 The Three-Body Problem
#2 The Dark Forest
#3 Death's End