The Mountain in the Sea

A The Mountain in the Sea is a sophisticated science fiction novel about consciousness, knowledge, environmental issues, and the limits of human understanding. In this debut work, already called one of the most powerful science fiction books of the decade, Ray Nayler explores a question that has troubled philosophers and scientists: can other species not only think but also create culture—and how do we know?

On a remote island off the coast of Vietnam, a new team of scientists studies a unique population of octopuses that seem to have created their own language, religion, and meaning system. As corporations hunt for biotech and artificial intelligences learn to think for themselves, a key question arises: are we ready to recognize and coexist with other minds?