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From Publishers Weekly
Starred Review. Canadian author Watts (Starfish) explores the nature of consciousness in this stimulating hard SF novel, which combines riveting action with a fascinating alien environment. In the late 21st century, when something alien is discovered beyond the edge of the solar system, the spaceship Theseus sets out to make contact. Led by an enigmatic AI and a genetically engineered vampire, the crew includes a biologist who's more machine than human, a linguist with surgically induced multiple personality disorder, a professional soldier who's a pacifist, and Siri Keeton, a man with only half a brain. Keeton is virtually incapable of empathy, but he has a savant's ability to model and predict the actions of others without understanding them. Once the Theseus arrives at the gigantic and hideously dangerous alien artifact (which has tellingly self-named itself Rorschach), the crew must deal with beings who speak English fluently but who may, paradoxically, not even be sentient, at least as we understand the term. Watts puts a terrifying and original spin on the familiar alien contact story. (Oct.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
From Booklist
Sf's best visionaries have played out the ever-popular theme of alien first contact in so many different ways that fresh variations are now in short supply. Yet Watts manages an entirely unique approach in this mind-bending novel. In 2082, with utopia waiting just down the electronic pipeline in a virtual domain called Heaven, Earth experiences the sudden shock of a baffling extraterrestrial visitation in the form of bright probes that surround the globe. Within days, the lights vanish, leaving only a faint signal of outbound communication near the Kuiper belt. Possessing few clues about the aliens' culture or intentions, scientists dispatch an unlikely exploration team that includes a linguist with multiple-personality syndrome, a cyborg biologist, and a spectral captain whose genetic code incorporates vampirism. Watts packs in enough tantalizing ideas for a score of novels while spinning new twists on every cutting-edge genre motif from virtual reality to extraterrestrial biology. Watts' fifth, finest, most-fascinating book. Carl Hays
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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Most helpful customer reviews
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Major Innovation,
By
This review is from: Blindsight (Hardcover)
This novel breaks new ground in the area of science fiction writing about "First Contact" between humans and an alien species. That is a very bold statement, given how many authors have written on this topic before. This one is different, and it is really good. The tale itself is gripping, the writing superb and edgy. The science woven into it is meticulously researched, and so close to what we already know that the reader immediately settles into the midst of the human team and experiences the story more than actually reading it. I know nothing about Hugos and Nebulas and so on, but I do know I have been reading science fiction for 45 years, and this may be the best thing I've read since Dune.
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Just buy it!,
This review is from: Blindsight (Hardcover)
Summary: On the edge of the Solar System a very difficult first contact situation goes very, very bad.Blindsight is not an easy or fast read since ideas and concepts are constantly being thrown at us and take time to absorb but it is well worth the effort. The end game is full of plot twists and surprises. My only complaint is the story is a little bit too lean - character development and background information on the other crew members was weak and I felt it difficult to relate to them. eg When a crew member is killed it just doesn't register or mean anything to me. And it should. Nonetheless this is a great example of diamond hard Science Fiction and one of the best books of the year. Buy it!
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Gorgeously dense science fiction,
By
This review is from: Blindsight (Hardcover)
I loved this book, Watts is brilliant. Blindsight is simultaneously a grand tour of ideas on human consciousness, a gripping, dark and twisted psychological mood piece, and a fast paced thriller. One of those great science fiction books that is densely packed with ideas the author throws at you a million miles a minute. Up there with sterling and doctorow. Plus, the author is making it freely available for download under a cc license.
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