The-Mountain-in-the-Sea-Raymond-Nayler-2023
author: [[ Raymond Naylor ]]
Sci-fi about consciousness - what is it, how are things conscious, how do we measure it in others, what would an alien consciousness look like? Very well worn territory for science fiction, [[ Blade Runner ]] did this a while agoo. Centred around research facility in Vietnam, looking at Octopuses. They have evolved socially and got language. This part is interesting from an ideas perspective but frustrating narrative - lots of exposition. Not a lot happens, reads more like a work of philosophy than a novel. Long digressions and theorising. Octopuses have become torchbearers for consciousness so ideas no longer feel fresh. Elevium is an android that is more than human , raising questions of how consciousness can be judged. Hacker story only relates at the end but pays off. AI ship seems unrelated other than thematically. No real pay off at the end. Needs more narrative propulsion.