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Blind Lake

By: Robert Charles Wilson
Narrated by: Jay Snyder
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Publisher's Summary

Robert Charles Wilson, says The New York Times, "writes superior science fiction thrillers." His Darwinia won Canada's Aurora Award; his most recent novel, The Chronoliths, won the prestigious John W. Campbell Memorial Award.

Now he tells a gripping tale of alien contact and human love in a mysterious but hopeful universe.

At Blind Lake, a large federal research installation in northern Minnesota, scientists are using a technology they barely understand to watch everyday life in a city of lobster-like aliens on a distant planet. They can't contact the aliens in any way or understand their language. All they can do is watch.

Then, without warning, a military cordon is imposed on the Blind Lake site. All communication with the outside world is cut off. Food and other vital supplies are delivered by remote control. No one knows why.The scientists, nevertheless, go on with their research. Among them are Nerissa Iverson and the man she recently divorced, Raymond Scutter. They continue to work together despite the difficult conditions and the bitterness between them. Ray believes their efforts are doomed; that culture is arbitrary, and the aliens will forever be an enigma. Nerissa believes there is a commonality of sentient thought, and that our failure to understand is our own ignorance, not a fact of nature. The behavior of the alien she has been tracking seems to be developing an elusive narrative logic - and she comes to feel that the alien is somehow, impossibly, aware of the project's observers.But her time is running out. Ray is turning hostile, stalking her. The military cordon is tightening. Understanding had better come soon....

©2004 Robert Charles Wilson (P)2009 Audible, Inc.

Critic Reviews

"Thoughtful and deliberately paced, this book will appeal to readers who prefer science fiction with substance." ( Publishers Weekly)
"Wilson builds suspense superlatively well, to a resolution that packs all the emotional wallop anyone could wish." ( Booklist)

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Fantastic with great characters

The first Robert Charles Wilson story I have ever read. RCWs character development was thorough and well written. The story was original and obscure and also insightful for 2003, now we are on the verge ourselves of the dawn of intelligent AI and how we have all been subjected to lockdowns. I highly recommend Blind Lake for anyone who loves an array of well described characters and ideas that have them wondering about the present. I shall be checking out RCWs other books for sure. Jay Snyder took a little bit of getting used to but ended up loving his style and voices.

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