The Three-Body Problem.

I have this but am yet to begin it. The following brief review from a
Guardian contributor struck me with the Iain M. comparison so I decided
to share it.
"I have been reading Liu Cixin’s Remembrance of Earth’s Past trilogy,
which begins with The Three-Body Problem. I didn’t know about the series
until I heard about the Netflix adaptation, 3 Body Problem, and I
decided to read the books before I watched the TV show.
I’m a big fan of good science fiction – my favourite author is Iain M
Banks, and I place Liu in the same class. The author’s background in IT
and superb all-round science knowledge make him a top-drawer sci-fi writer.
The Netflix show is more upfront in confronting and depicting the
Cultural Revolution and has some excellent CGI effects, but seriously
dumbs down Liu’s excellent science content. If you want to appreciate
Liu’s convoluted but gripping narrative, shell out on the books. You
won’t be disappointed."