blindsightBlindsight is ‘hard’ science fiction with an edge; it is well written and styled after the qualities of the book’s fictional narrator, Siri Keeton.

The novel guides the reader through a de-humanized society where gene manipulation and machine interfacing is the norm. This future society is well represented by the novel’s main set of characters: half of Siri’s brain was removed and replaced with circuitry; another character split her consciousness — purposely — into an additional three distinct personalities; two characters are loaded with computer/prosthetic enhancements; and the leader of the group is a genetically reconstructed vampire (I’m not convinced a vampire was required in the story (no doubt influenced by my prejudice against vampire stories), but the author made this character interesting and included an intriguing appendix regarding the biology of Homo sapiens vampiris). As if the humans in the story aren’t weird enough, there are intelligent, extraterrestrial beings as well; and they are truly alien, having followed a different evolutionary pathway than humanity.

Among the many interesting ideas within the book is an analysis of the individual as a concept; what is consciousness, and is it a good thing? The depiction of a computer-substrate ‘afterlife’ (and the visits from next-of-kin) was also remarkable, albeit disturbing.

I enjoyed the book’s action sequences, and Peter Watts‘ imagination, but was left wanting more out of the characters. The protagonist’s personality developed through the course of the novel, but the story is driven by plot and science, and I prefer a novel propelled by character. I do, however, recommend this book to anybody who enjoys hard science fiction.

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