-- SPOILER ALERT (at parent comment, not mine) -- The first book is more akin to universal literature than strictly sci-fi. It literally opens with scenes from

-- SPOILER ALERT (at parent comment, not mine) -- The first book is more akin to universal literature than strictly sci-fi. It literally opens with scenes from the Cultural Revolution. It's a slow burn that gradually touches on science subjects to eventually throw all the fiction into the reader's face. It has one of the best endings you'll find in sci-fi. It's a great book especially for begginers of the genre.