2008 Science-Fiction Book Became a Global Hit After Netflix Adaptation
Madz Dizon
Tue, September 8, 2026 at 1:15 AM UTC
Liu Cixin’s The Three-Body Problem, first published as a standalone book in China in 2008 after being serialized in 2006, has grown from a Chinese science-fiction novel into a worldwide literary success, with its story reaching millions of readers and later becoming a major Netflix television adaptation.
The book was first published in English in November 2014. Its international release helped introduce Liu’s work to a much wider audience, and in 2015, The Three-Body Problem won the Hugo Award for Best Novel. The award became an important moment for Chinese science fiction and helped bring the novel to readers far beyond China.
More than a decade after its international debut, the book continues to make an impact around the world. A report presented at the “Cosmic Echoes – The Three-Body Problem’s Overseas 10-Year Impact Release Conference” said global sales had exceeded 30 million copies. Another figure cited at the event said the novel had sold 6.5 million copies in foreign-language editions, with rights sold in 42 languages, per China Daily.
The international success of The Three-Body Problem was celebrated on August 30 during the 15th China International Digital Publishing Expo in Zhengzhou, Henan province. More than 400 people attended, including Liu Cixin, science-fiction writers, scholars, publishers and readers from different countries.
The novel follows humanity’s first contact with an alien civilization, but its story begins with events during China’s Cultural Revolution.
