'The Three-Body Problem': Liu Cixin's novel is a heady blend of ethics, physics and Chinese history

Liu Cixin's The Three-Body Problem - the first of a popular trilogy titled Remembrance of Earth's Past - has entertained and challenged readers since first appearing in Chinese in 2006. The 2014 English translation, by acclaimed American science-fiction author Ken Liu, became the first work by an Asian author to win the Hugo Award for best sci-fi novel. The book is among the most widely-read works of modern Chinese fiction in English, and Liu's critical reputation and fan base (which includes Barack Obama and Mark Zuckerberg) continues to grow. A 30-episode Chinese adaptation of the The Three-Body Problem aired in…