Hell of a trip. To be transported firstly to China, among a people and into a culture I'm not familiar with, and then into the Cultural Revolution, which I hadn't had any exposure to, and finally to superbly alien world of Trisolaris? It was just so many layers of otherworldliness to enjoy. 
 The breakdown and explanation at the end of the book of the supernatural events in the first parts of the book was very satisfying. 
 I really liked how hope and despair manifested themselves differently in different characters (and different species). 
 Note that this is definitely not a standalone book. It stops right at a moment of climax, and really demands the reader continue into the second novel.