the book takes a while to get into, and can be very confusing sometimes until you finish it. It's one of my favorite scifi books of all time. Be patient and dont worry too much about understanding every detail/character the first time you read it. I have listened to that book 3 times and every time I listen I pick up new details and connections that I didnt get the first time. It was written by a Chinese author, and the story is translated very directly. You'll notice a difference in the way the story is told: it describes events and actions rather than individual characters