I was fascinated at Watts’ ingenious utilization of scientific concepts to advance his psychologically driven story. I was more focused on the use of scientific concepts and less emotionally involved. The impact of the horror element for me was much reduced the second time through. One reason for this experiment at repeat listening is that I find so few well-written serious modern Hard Science Fiction novels this being one, I wanted to experience it again. Then, after finishing Echopraxia, I listened to Blindshight a second time. I then went on to read Peter Watts’ follow-up novel Echopraxia. The above was written after my first pass through Blindsight.

This will get my recommendation as well, even though I do not pretend to have more than a rudimentary understanding of it. Morgan (author of Altered Carbon) as his, “If you only read one book this year,” endorsement. It left me with the same feeling as some of the novels of Gene Wolfe-the book ends but, since there is no real closure, the story lives on in your head like a rogue subroutine awaiting a necessary command. When I heard “Audible hopes you enjoyed this program” I was left with that desirable, but all too rare, sensation that even though I just had a very enjoyable experience, there was so much more to discover. Happy ending? Sort of-but only if you think the movie A L I E N ended on a pleasant note. First Contact Science Fiction? It has all the essential elements. Character study? Certainly true of the protagonist. Vampire story? Of a fashion, but not in any way the typical fashion. Hard Science Fiction Space Opera? Certainly. I found this novel to be excellent but difficult to categorize. I really enjoyed the advancing narrative interspersed with flashbacks exploring the main character’s psyche. The protagonist never seems to be comfortable in his own skin, and since Watts manages to build a certain empathy for him, you the listener are kept off balance as well. Peter Watts has crafted a novel that is quite unsettling.

Blindsight watts