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Introduction of main characters
Dr. Chen

His name isn't mentioned in the text. D. in atmospheric sciences, the entire book is told from his first-person perspective. Explores the mysteries of ball lightning and participates in the development of macroatomic weapons.

Yun Lin

Daughter of General Lin Feng, Major in rank, fanatical about weapons development due to her early childhood experience.

Yi Ding

One of the main characters in Cixin Liu's science fiction universe, the youngest academician in China.

Lin Dai

Dr. Chen's college classmate, the two married after college.

Artistic characteristics
On the one hand, the "ball lightning" is the basis of the narrative in the text. The story originates from a thunderstorm at night, when an erratic ball lightning suddenly barged into the main character’s home, and his parents were struck by the ball lightning and turned into ashes. After experiencing the pain and trance of being separated from his parents, the main character decided to take the path of scientific research and carry out the research of ball lightning. On the other hand, "ball lightning" is also the driving force of the narrative. Instead of a complex narrative model, "Ball Lightning" is a simple "linear" narrative model, where "find the problem - encounter the problem - solve the problem" becomes the main logic of the story. With the deepening of the research on ball lightning, the secrets of ball lightning are gradually solved, until the physical properties of ball lightning are all mastered, and the author ends abruptly with the beautiful picture of "Quantum Rose".

Movie based on book
There are plans to release a film based on the book.

Reception to the book
Ball Lightning has been regarded as the book with the most complete story line and closest to real life in Liu's science fiction universe.

Critics have called the book, "an important-and timely-mediation on science, weapons development, and the ways in which people confront trauma."

Creation background
The author mistakenly thought he was suffering from liver cancer at the time, but instead of making a statement, he did his best to finish writing the book. The book is a personal outpouring and reflection of Liu's feelings.

Related
Ball lightning phenomenon

Liu Cixin (author)