Blind Lake

02 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 upon 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.... 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 upon 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.... 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 upon 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.... Blind Lake is a 2004 Hugo Award Nominee for Best Novel.

praise For Robert Charles Wilson

in His Quiet Way, Robert Charles Wilson Has Produced One Of The Most Impressive Bodies Of Work In Contemporary Science Fiction.

—the New York Times

wilson Sets Out To Remind Us, And Possibly Himself, Of What There Is To Fall In Love With In Sf, And He Succeeds.

—locus

and For the Chronoliths

wilson Is A Master Of Character Development, Comparable To The Late Theodore Sturgeon....this Superb Novel, Combining Wilson's Trademark Well-developed Characters And Fine Prose With Stunning High-tech Physics, Should Strongly Appeal To Connoisseurs Of Quality Science Fiction.

—publishers Weekly (starred Review)

wilson's Writing Is Assured.... Satisfaction Lingers Even After The Last Bit Of Suspense Fades Away.

—toronto Star

if You Read Science Fiction For Its Scientific Extrapolations, Then There's Much Here To Satisfy. If, Like Me, You Read The Genre For Its Examinations Of Human Lives In A Crucible, Then The Chronoliths Also Delivers The Goods.

—nalo Hopkinson

the New York Times

robert Charles Wilson Continues To Fascinate And Delight. I Can't Think Of Another Science Fiction Writer Who Understands The Strengths Of The Genre So Well And Who Works With Such Confidence Within Its Elastic Boundaries. blind Lake Is A First-contact-with-aliens Story That Revolves Around A Group Of Humans Whose Lives, Like Those Of Many Of Wilson's Characters, Are Seriously Askew. — gerald Jonas

From back cover of Tor paperback July 2004: At Blind Lake, a federal installation in northern Minnesota, scientists are spying on everyday life on an alien planet, using a technology they barely understand. No interaction with the aliens is possible. All the scientists can do is watch. Then, without warning, a military cordon is imposed on Blind Lake. All communications with the outside world is cut off. Vital supplies are delivered by remote control. No one knows why. Among the scientists are Nerissa Iverson and the man she recently divorced, Raymond Scutter. Despite everything, they continue to work together. Ray believes their efforts are doomed. But Nerissa has come to believe that the particular alien she has been monitoring has an elusive logic to its behavior -- and, moreover, that the alien is somehow aware of being observed. But time is running out. Ray is turning hostile, stalking Nerissa. The military cordon is tightening. Understanding had better come soon... Utilisant une technologie quantique qu'ils ne comprennent pas totalement, les scientifiques des complexes de Crossbank et Blind Lake observent des planètes situées à des centaines d'années-lumière. Marguerite Hauser s'intéresse à un extraterrestre qu'elle appelle le Sujet, mais que tout le monde surnomme le Homard à cause de sa morphologie. Un jour, celui-ci entreprend un dangereux pèlerinage. Working With An Unfamiliar Technology At A Federal Research Installation, Marguerite, Alongside The Man She Recently Divorced, Studies A Distant Alien Race And Deals With A Military Cordon That Has Cut Off All Communication. Robert Charles Wilson. A Tom Doherty Associates Book.