yet quite original and mostly thought-provoking thirteen (hard) SF short stories written/published between 1990 and 2010 are contained in a single volume here. Don't expect some merry ride with happy ending, though, but be prepared instead for an atmosphere/style as bone-chillingly cold as deep space/ocean!
The writing is smart, uncompromising and precise, with occasional grittiness and violence. A not-so-minor gripe of mine, however, is that resorting not infrequently to scientific jargon may hinder full appreciation of Watts' intended message. You can come across technical terms of biochemistry, neuroscience, cosmology, what have you, like: actomyosin, adrenocortical analogs, anoxia, ATOC pulses, benthic ooze, cumulonimbus, dendrite, eumelanin, Hawking Hoop, myoelectric, perspex, phaeophytin, or ventral notochord, etc. with aliquot, photophore, and subroutine being his favourite words - a glossary would have come in handy. It's also questionable how many readers know exactly/are able to recall from their high school/college studies what, say, parietal and occipital lobes are responsible for.
Contents: 1. The things (2010) 2. The island (2009) 3. The second coming of Jasmine Fitzgerald (1998) 4. A word for heathens (2004) 5. Home (2000) 6. The eyes of god (2008) 7. Flesh made word (1994) 8. Nimbus (1994) 9. Mayfly (2005) 10. Ambassador (2002) 11. Hillcrest v Velikovsky (2008) 12. Repeating the past (2007) 13. A niche (1990) + Outtro [sic]: 'En route to dystopia with the angry optimist,' in which pseudo-essay the Canadian author is reflecting on some of his themes and current state of affairs, such as the erosion of civil rights on the apropos of a humiliating incident of unjustified and harsh treatment he had to endure at the hands of US Customs thugs and prosecution representing the State of Michigan.
I tend to agree with his general assessment/outlook: "[W]hat do you call a world of decent folks ground beneath the boot-heels of despots and sociopaths if not dystopia? You can trot out your folksy tales of good hearts and personal redemption, your small hopeful candles flickering down at the street level; I can't help noticing the darkness pressing down from overhead, the global dysfunction that throws the world on its side despite the angels of our better natures" (pp. 228-9).
The above stories explore some of the following themes - A) encounter with alien intelligence: parasitic "communion" as a method for evolvement (1), deceit and back-stabbing are not exclusive to human realm only (2, 10 - I really dig the idea of an interstellar Bermuda triangle), while at the same time Watts expresses a sense of wonder at universe's life-affirming potential, thusly:
"The rules are so different here. Most of space is tranquil: no diel or seasonal cycles, no ice ages or global tropics, no wild pendulum swings between hot and cold, calm and tempestuous. Life's precursors abound: on comets, clinging to asteroids, suffusing nebulae a hundred lightyears across. Molecular clouds glow with organic chemistry and life-giving radiation. Their vast dusty wings grow warm with infrared, filter out the hard stuff, give rise to stellar nurseries that only some stunted refugee from the bottom of a gravity well could ever call lethal" (2, p. 43).
B) transhumanism: brain-computer interface/emulating human emotions/virtual reality (7, 9), bioengineered new millenium mermaids and the ethical dilemma of recruiting abused victims in hazardous environment (5, 13), on the road to total surveillance/thought police (6), transfering shocking memories (12); C) it seems the author has a chunky beef with Christian religious faith (as per Catholic dogma and institution) that manifests in mockery (11), targets hypocracy of a child-fondling priest who commits suicide to escape shame (6), or analyzes inquisitorial fervour and the shifting foundation of faith - "Sometimes it isn't the experience of redemption that makes the greatest champions, but the longing for it" (4, p. 98); D) artificial intelligence with its own agenda (2); E) sentient storm clouds as Gaia's hands of vengeance (8), so forth.
While at the first look it might appear that the writer's stance is that of a reductionist materialist being trained under the current ruling paradigm ("You've been solved...You're mechanical. Chemicals and electricity. Everything you are, every dream, every action, it all comes down to a change of voltage somewhere..." 13, p. 206, and suchlike), sometimes one is under the impression as if Watts were searching for the ghost in the machine/soul (as in chapter 1 - but finds nothing even remotely close), or heavens forbid, even God: "How thinly does I spread itself across the heavens? The flesh is huge, the flesh is inconceivable. But the spirit...is -This is no mere alien. But I'm not quite ready to believe in Gods" (2, p. 33). The closest he comes to the thin line between mind and matter is the story in ch. 3, with quantum theory being tossed in.
In closing let me say, and you may disagree, that one deficiency of this collection to consider could be that except for three stories (2, 10, 13), the punchlines for the rest are either weak/unmemorable (3, 4, 8, 9, 11), somewhat predictable (7, 12), or missing entirely/indeterminable (1, 5, 6).
Enjoy fast, FREE delivery, exclusive deals and award-winning movies & TV shows with Prime
Try Prime
and start saving today with Fast, FREE Delivery
Loading your book clubs
There was a problem loading your book clubs. Please try again.
Not in a club? Learn more
Join or create book clubs
Choose books together
Track your books
Bring your club to Amazon Book Clubs, start a new book club and invite your friends to join, or find a club that’s right for you for free.
Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required. Learn more
Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.
Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.
Flip to back Flip to front
Follow the Author
Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.
Discover the latest buzz-worthy books, from mysteries and romance to humor and nonfiction. Explore more
Frequently bought together
$14.95
Get it as soon as Friday, Sep 1
Only 17 left in stock (more on the way).
Total price:
To see our price, add these items to your cart.
Choose items to buy together.
Customers who viewed this item also viewed
Page 1 of 1 Start overPage 1 of 1
About the author
Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Top reviews from other countries
Pascal
An amazing collection well worth for any Watts' fans.
Reviewed in Canada on August 18, 2020
Pascal
Reviewed in Canada on August 18, 2020
If you don't know Peter Watts and are looking to learn whether his style is for you, this book is an amazing place to start. Likewise, if you are already a fan, then your collection will only truly shine once you acquire this gem.
Images in this review
Cal
Thoughtful and entertaining sci-fi short stories
Reviewed in Canada on February 6, 2015
J. Watson
An excellent collection of short stories
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 5, 2014John Fletcher
Not many laughs ... but who cares?
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 1, 2015
