In this novel Blind Lake is one of two scientific communities housing an amazing piece of technology. The technology being an ultra-advanced telescope which doesn't work in the conventional optical manner. In fact no one has the faintest idea how it actually performs its task of peering through space and witnessing the everyday minutiae of alien life. Interpreting alien life at blind lake in headed by Marguerite and her ex husband, who is slowly unravelling and delights in opposing almost all of Marguerite's hypothesis on alien culture. During a period in which journalists are allowed to tour Blind Lake a complete quarantine is issued. This is a complete lock down, with absolutely nobody and no information enters or exits. This gives Marguerite and other members of her team to focus even more intently on their work. During this slowly drawn out process Marguerite questions her own anthropomorphic view and slowly comes to the conclusion that the telescope does more than just give a one way view on the lobster like alien. This novel surreptitiously skips between the boundary of science fiction and that of a slow paced, low key, techno thriller. It gives it a unique quality coupled with the feelings of complete isolation and introspection certain various characters develop throughout this novel. Wonderfully portrayed characters mixed with a slow paced (very slow paced) thriller element make Blind Lake a worthy purchase for people looking to escape from cliché science fiction. Off the beaten path and very original.






Another novel from the pen of Robert Charles Wilson that gives more credence to his growing reputation as a giant of science fiction literature. One clear cold October night a group of three; Tyler, Jason and Diane look up at the night sky and slowly witness the disappearance of the twinkling stars. It happens as if one by one some great and unknown force has started to switch out the celestial lights. The event is naturally a worldwide phenomenon and their is no rational explanation to be given by any government, country, agency or group of individuals for the blanking of the night sky. This veil christened as Spin breeds mass hysteria and blind panic throughout the world. New religions and cults spring up and along with those religions already established the Spin is seen as the ultimate harbinger of doom for mankind. It's immediate effects are unknown but satellites fall to earth, the internet ceases to function in any meaningful manner and simple event such as national news is interrupted. The world demands answers, none are forthcoming; will they ever? The narrative of this novel is first person. Told through Tyler Dupree, it recounts from that fateful first night how the world's innocence is lost and his two greatest friends; the highly intellectual Jason and his bright sister Diana deal with this momentous of all events. Chapter by chapter we learn how those in power seek to deal with this seeming cosmic affront to our planet and what affect it is having and will have. The sun still rises in the morning but it is only a projection of the sun that the Spin allows to enter into our atmosphere. Jason becomes a highly driven and ambitious man who seeks to find answers to the function of this creation, his sister joins a religious cult while Tyler accepts that their are things which are never going to be understood. He is the nexus of this novel. The Spin is a pervasiveness that all come to accept in their own way. Like it or lump it, it is here to stay - but why? Wilson provides quite an enigmatic answer at the end of the novel but this novel strong points are the personal relationships built, tested, lost and recovered by Tyler Dupree as he seeks to live a normal life in a world that has lost its identity. It is a wonderfully written novel that provides multiple scenarios for the human condition to be studied and questioned over a thirty year period. It is touching, strong and in some quarters a truculent endeavour of human ingenuity towards the hypothesized aliens (Hypotheticals), to whom it is believed created the Spin. Is it a benevolent act or heinous crime committed against humanity? Read the book and find out.

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