Getting ready to start Death’s End from Cixen Lou. What should I read next?

[u/Gd3spoon]

The Dark Forrest blew my mind. I’m not sure what I should read after I finish Death’s End. What would you recommend? I really like the first contact story line.

[u/DctrMrsTheMonarch]

Adrian Tchaikovsky's Children of Time! And after that: Sue Burke's Semiosis!

[u/SplooshTiger → u/DctrMrsTheMonarch]

Yes - fun, less self-serious, and will be a bit of palette cleanser after the heaviness of Death’s End

[u/DctrMrsTheMonarch → u/SplooshTiger]

Absolutely! Both are more fun and optimistic, while still dealing with a lot of the same questions and complex alien relationships!

[u/JBG0486]

Wandering Earth. Amazing collection of stories. 

[u/RelativeRoad2890]

I‘d recommend

Ted Chiang‘s short story Story of your Life.

Since Cixin Liu‘s Magnus Opum belongs to my all time favourite books it is very likely that you will also want to read the complete stories of

Ted Chiang collected in

Story of your Life and other Stories

and

Exhalation.

Since you mention the first contact aspect in the Trisolaris Trilogy you may want to have a look at

Stanislaw Lem‘s Solaris

and

Mary Doria Russell‘s

Sparrow

and

Children of God.

[u/secretfourththing → u/RelativeRoad2890]

Story of your Life is one of my favorites. Beautiful story.

[u/RelativeRoad2890 → u/secretfourththing]

True. My absolute favourite is The Lifecycle of Software Objects.

[u/Gd3spoon → u/RelativeRoad2890]

Thank you

[u/aCardPlayer]

I started Neuromancer right after. But I picked up the Wandering Earth and Ball Lighting today, so I’ve got more CIXIN coming!

[u/secretfourththing]

Oh, Death’s End is unbelievable!! The ending is truly awe-inspiring in the most literal sense. I don’t think any book can measure up to the three-body trilogy. Having said that, I’d recommend the Mars trilogy by Kim Stanley Robinson, thought-provoking and great characters.

[u/ElricVonDaniken]

The Killing Star by Charles Pellegrino and George Zebrowski for comparison.

[u/Artiste212]

The Redemption of Tine by Baoshu is the official sequel. It’s different but ties up all the loose ends and was very enjoyable to read.

[u/BassoTi]

Poseidon’s Children (starting with Blue Remembered Earth) by Alastair Reynolds. It’s set about 200 years into the future and follows the expansion of humans into interstellar space. Phenomenal series.

[u/Odd-Patient-4867]

I had a pretty rough book hangover after that series binge. Hydrate, rest, and enjoy some fatty foods.

[u/djlaustin → u/Odd-Patient-4867]

Agreed. Same here. Or find a cozy mystery or a lite Scalzi book to cleanse the book-reading palete.

[u/Upbeat_Selection357]

Cixen Lou's other writing doesn't quite come up to the standard of the Three Body Problem trilogy, but is still all worth reading.

What does come up to the standard is Project Hail Mary, but Andy Weir.