Blindsight (Firefall, #1)

by Peter Watts

[Quirky Cat]

Are you reading to dive into a speculative science fiction novel full of aliens, vampires, and monsters? Then it's time to talk about Blindsight by Peter Watts.

Humanity has always known that they are not alone in the universe. But it isn't until a bunch of alien artifacts crash land on earth that this truth is made clear. Still, humanity is ready and willing to send the first humans out to talk to the aliens and make that critical first contact.

The problem is, those aliens weren't trying to reach humanity. They weren't trying to talk to the humans, but rather something else out in that vast blackness that is space.

“Stars, everywhere. So many stars that I could not for the life me understand how the sky could contain them all yet be so black.”

Blindsight is a dense and thought-provoking science fiction novel. I love how it blends so many favorite genres and tropes into one cohesive story. A story that is designed to push the limits and really make you stop and think.

This isn't a light read by any means. Not only does it have a fair amount of intellectual depth, but it raises debates about the self and consciousness. There's a lot to consider, both during and after reading.

When I picked up Blindsight, I was expecting a hard science fiction novel. For the most part, that is what I got. But I also got many different elements that I wasn't expecting, which made for one heck of a reading experience.

Thanks to Tor Books and #NetGalley for making this book available for review. All opinions expressed are my own.

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