The dark forest
The dark forest ( Chinese 黑暗 森林 / 黑暗 森林 , Pinyin Hēi'àn sēnlín ) is the second novel published in German by the Chinese writer Liu Cixin and forms the second part of the Trisolaris trilogy . The first volume of the trilogy is called The Three Suns ; the third volume, Jenseits der Zeit , was published in German in April 2019. The theme of the science fiction novel, originally published in 2008 , is how humans deal with the alien invasion that is imminent in a few years .
action
The extraterrestrials, called trisolarians, have sent a space fleet on its way to planet earth, which is supposed to conquer the earth in about 400 years. Global conferences discuss how to respond to this threat. It is decided to accelerate research and upgrade in space. However, since the sophons sent to earth by the Trisolarians not only inhibit the progress of basic research, but can also spy on every recorded information and every conversation, every defense plan is also known to the enemy in advance. As a countermeasure, four people are appointed "wall showers": They are supposed to develop their own defense plans in their heads - equipped with almost unlimited resources. It is expressly part of the task to leave the trisolar observers and thus necessarily also the earth's population in the dark about their true intentions. Deceptive maneuvers and apparently nonsensical instructions are also expected from them and carried out under the supervision of a committee. As a countermeasure, the ETO organization, which is allied with the Trisolariers, has chosen people from its ranks as "wall breakers". Each is assigned to one of the wall showers and is asked to evaluate each of his actions and instructions to reveal his true plan. The trisolarians cannot fulfill this task themselves, because their way of communicating means that the concept of hidden planning is completely alien and incomprehensible to them.
One of the wall showers is the largely unknown astrophysicist Luo Ji, who initially rejects the wall shower status because he considers himself completely unsuitable. Nevertheless, it is apparently he who attracts the attention of the Trisolarians the most, as can be seen from several assassinations by the ETO. After a secluded life with little contact with the rest of humanity, he lets himself - like many other people - freeze in order to be thawed again before the arrival of the Trisolarians. After thawing, he finds an optimistic world: the ambitious efforts had led to an economic collapse, the “Tiefen Tal”, but after that the programs were operated with more sense of proportion and so sustained major advances in science and space technology could be achieved, for example the development of a powerful space fleet. Humanity is certain of a victory over the Trisolar fleet and is already mentally preparing for peace negotiations. The Wandschauer program is no longer an issue in public, the last two representatives are hardly noticed.
The first probe of the Trisolarians reaches the solar system and is received by the fleet. A spaceship takes them on board and specialists examine them. Its surface is completely flawless and cannot be penetrated. Suddenly a previously undetectable drive is activated, the probe accelerates and almost effortlessly destroys almost the entire space fleet in the shortest possible time and without being damaged. This show of force by the superior trisolar civilization comes as a shock to the people of the world. Panic and chaos breaks out in many cities. The Wandschauer program will be brought back to life and Luo Ji will be given his old powers again.
Before Luo Ji went into cold sleep, he had sent a message into space via the reinforcement from the sun, in which the exact position of a solar system 50 light years away could be identified. It now turns out that this solar system has now been attacked and destroyed by unknowns. Luo Ji sees his theory, developed in a conversation with Ye Wenjie, confirmed that the universe is a “dark forest”: Every advanced civilization tries to remain as quiet as possible and not attract attention for fear of being destroyed by another civilization . Because no one can be sure that the other is not planning exactly the same thing or will plan at some point. Luo Ji calls the public announcement of the position of a solar system a “curse”. This model had long been known to the Trisolarians and it is becoming clear that the attacks on Luo Ji were aimed at withholding this knowledge from humanity. When Luo Ji threatens to send the position of Trisolaris (and thus also that of the earth) into space, the Trisolarians declare themselves ready to negotiate peace.
background
publication
The novel was published in 2008 and in 2015 the English translation was published by Tor Books as “The Dark Forest”.
Stephan Martinière designed the cover picture.
content
Designed in the book of protagonist Luo Ji science branch of the "Cosmos sociology" exists as since the early 1970s Exosoziologie . The derivation of regularities in the expansion and interaction of space-faring civilizations was described as early as 1973 by the Polish philosopher and author Stanisław Lem .
Reviews
- Martina Kothe on ndr.de: Here "... the first contact between an extraterrestrial civilization and humanity is described". "Almost 800 pages full of exciting ideas, unusual twists and turns and with a great ending."
- For Gunther Barnewald on phantastiknews.de, the first 475 pages are "... too lengthy, pale, unoriginal, soporific, unimaginative and excessive ...". He is impressed by the “... description of the world in 200 years. Here Cixin Liu can again set clear highlights, also in his wonderful descriptions. "
German first edition
- Liu Cixin: The dark forest , novel, translated by Karin Betz , Heyne, Munich 2018, ISBN 978-3-641-17458-3
The book has a length of 815 pages and begins with a two-page directory of people; the prologue follows, then three parts: "The Wall Showers", "The Curse" and "The Dark Forest"; At the end there is the appendix with explanations of the spelling and pronunciation (the Chinese names) as well as comments by the author and the translator on Chinese names and special features.
radio play
As before for Die drei Sonnen , WDR5 also produced a radio play for Der dunkle Wald , directed by Martin Zylka , which consists of four parts and with a total running time of 3 hours and 30 minutes is shorter than its predecessor. The first broadcast on the radio took place from October 1 to October 4, 2018, but all four parts were made available online for listening and downloading from October 1, 2018.
Individual evidence
- ^ Stanisław Lem: 36. To an unknown recipient . In: Robert Barkowski (ed.): Stanisław Lem. The resistance of matter. Selected letters . Parthas, Berlin 2008, ISBN 978-3-86601-475-6 .
- ↑ https://www.ndr.de/kultur/buch/Cixin-Liu-Der-dunkle-Wald-,derdunklewald102.html
- ↑ https://phantastiknews.de/index.php/rezensions/15340-cixin-liu-der-dunkle-wald-buch
- ↑ The dark forest. Radio play series based on the novel of the same name by Cixin Liu. In: WDR5 . Retrieved September 29, 2018 .