The 3 body problem has a really strong premise, quite good characters and is nicely written. Sometimes it felt the characters behaved a little inconsistently and as a result it wasn't always easy to fully engage with them. Some of the parralels between the alien civilization and humanity were interesting but in both cases the way each character reacted to making such a large decision didn't feel quite right. The pacing is a bit mixed, with some sections being much faster than others which works in some cases but in others starts to feel a little rushed.

The plot itself is brilliant, as a first book in a series it sets everything up nicely ,though a little more closure in the volume would be nice. I'd read a few short stories by Cixin Liu before which I enjoyed so I expected to enjoy this one, especially given the acclaim it has received. That being said it's not phenomenal but still well worth reading and I'm looking forward to the rest in the series.