The Mountain in the Sea

A Novel

De: Ray Nayler

Narrado por: Eunice Wong

2022 Slate Book Review Best Books of the Year, Long-listed
2023 Locus Awards - Winner
2023 Nebula Awards - Nominee, Short-listed
2022 Slate Best Books of the Year, Long-listed

“Eunice Wong’s measured pacing and mellow tones perfectly complement Nayler’s provocative exploration of memory, minds, and consciousness.” - Booklist

"The theme of the nature of consciousness is equal parts intriguing, thrilling, and eerie. Best of all, it's always compellingly narrated, making for a performance that's difficult to pause."- AudioFile Magazine

Humankind discovers intelligent life in an octopus species with its own language and culture, and sets off a high-stakes global competition to dominate the future.

Rumors begin to spread of a species of hyperintelligent, dangerous octopus that may have developed its own language and culture. Marine biologist Dr. Ha Nguyen, who has spent her life researching cephalopod intelligence, will do anything for the chance to study them.

The transnational tech corporation DIANIMA has sealed the remote Con Dao Archipelago, where the octopuses were discovered, off from the world. Dr. Nguyen joins DIANIMA’s team on the islands: a battle-scarred security agent and the world’s first android.

The octopuses hold the key to unprecedented breakthroughs in extrahuman intelligence. The stakes are high: there are vast fortunes to be made by whoever can take advantage of the octopuses’ advancements, and as Dr. Nguyen struggles to communicate with the newly discovered species, forces larger than DIANIMA close in to seize the octopuses for themselves.

But no one has yet asked the octopuses what they think. And what they might do about it.

A near-future thriller about the nature of consciousness, Ray Nayler’s The Mountain in the Sea is a dazzling literary debut and a mind-blowing dive into the treasure and wreckage of humankind’s legacy.

A Macmillan Audio production from Farrar, Straus and Giroux.

©2022 Ray Nayler (P)2022 Macmillan Audio

Reseñas de la Crítica

"With a thriller heart and a sci-fi head, The Mountain in the Sea delivers a spooky smart read. Artificial intelligence, nascent animal sentience, murderous flying drones: like the best of Gibson or Atwood, it brings all of the plot without forgetting the bigger questions of consciousness, ecocide, and scientific progress. Truly a one-of-a-kind story"—Kawai Strong Washburn, author of Sharks in the Time of Saviors

"Nayler’s masterful debut combines fascinating science and well-wrought characters to deliver a deep dive into the nature of intelligent life. . . As entertaining as it is intellectually rigorous, this taut exploration of human—and inhuman—consciousness is a knockout." —Publishers Weekly, starred review

"Less a science-fiction adventure than a meditation on consciousness and self-awareness, the limitations of human language, and the reasons for those limitations, the novel teaches as it engages." —Kirkus Reviews

"With a thriller heart and a sci-fi head, The Mountain in the Sea delivers a spooky smart read. Artificial intelligence, nascent animal sentience, murderous flying drones: like the best of Gibson or Atwood, it brings all of the plot without forgetting the bigger questions of consciousness, ecocide, and scientific progress. Truly a one-of-a-kind story" —Kawai Strong Washburn, author of Sharks in the Time of Saviors

Good near term sci-fi book on AI

Very fun and interesting read with well developed characters and an engaging story exploring AI and consciousness. I recommend listening.

One of my favorite books ever

So good! Riveting, dark, yet hopeful. One of my very favorite books ever. Please read!!

Unexpected great read

Wasn't expecting to enjoy this as much as I did. Held my attention from the first.

Extraordinary by all measures

This is without a doubt one of the best books I have listened to in ages! It is novel and creative, with great characterizations and beautiful language. I even wrote down a couple of them to share on Facebook. It is philosophically packed and speaks the language of science. I kept stopping at various points so I could savor it.

The performance is amazing. It takes place all around the world and characters have names from different languages and the narrator just nailed it all. As I said, extraordinary by any measure.

what being human really means

I chose A Mountain in the Sea from Netgalley because the blurb mentioned octopuses/octopi. I have been fascinated by octopi for years. Their intelligence and problem-solving capabilities are concepts I have surprised have not been mined in fiction more. Marine biologist Dr. Ha Nguyen is researching the octopi which seem to have language and culture. Many chapters begin with quotes from a book she wrote called How Oceans Think. The quotes from the book are interesting. I would read it if it was published. The author Ray Nayler presents the information in a way that I can understand. This information enriches the book.

The story takes place in our future when there have been massive upheavals in the geopolitical sphere, and wars that caused environmental catastrophes in addition to killing large portions of the population. The main part of the book is about Dr. Ha and the two who are on the island with her. One is a woman who has been enhanced so she is as much a machine as a human. The other is an android whose perfection scared the population to the point where there were riots and social unrest. Now they are hidden on this island to help Dr. Ha with her research.

There are several other strands that weave through the story and eventually meet in Dr. Ha’s story. Eunice Wong does an incredible job narrating. Each main character has a distinct voice. The narration is always clear even when describing actions like battles. I do not possess the words to describe how incredible and wonderful this book is. I have listened to it three times already. I am discovering new gems each time I listen.

I have truly enjoyed this book. It took my imagination to new places and definitely new situations. It also made me think about what being human really means.
@raynayler @Netgalley @EuniceWongActor

The idea of an animal evolving while humanity takes over the planet was intriguing.

The scientific discussions of evolution, ai robotics and biology of octopi were very interesting. The characters were difficult to keep track of in the recording, but might be easier if reading the book.

Narrator was well above average

The story line ran hot and cold with me. I feel that this was a mediocre book. Original, yes. Outstanding, no.

Smooth and in-depth storytelling

Experiencing this story was like being in a high speed train. So much happened and was revealed, but it was all rather seamless and smooth, like a train ride (In Europe). The moral conundrums explored in this story will definitely have me listening again. The narrator conveyed the scientist's mindset and setting so very well.

Enjoyable and interesting

Really great storytelling. I hope there is a book 2 - unique and fresh concept for first contact. Finally someone in ‘science fiction’ with an original idea. EDIT: I would like to add that this book is not preachy. I'm pretty conservative, also a scientist, and don't go along with 'the narrative' about the environment. There are some parts where the CHARACTERS are trying to get across some environmental ideas (blaming humans for fill in the blank..). But it's speculative fiction based in some other future - so this story isn't talking about 'our world'. It's some other world. Maybe it's our future world but it didn't look much like our present world at all to me. So if you have a hard time separating the author's views and the character's views, you might find it preachy. But it didn't bother me.

So many interesting ideas if you can just allow yourself to enjoy the story without forcing it to make a statement.

And extremely timely read for everyone.

Loved this view of the planet reminded me of the Indians and how everything should be able to coexist and there being no waste. What is afraid it might be too anti-religious but love the fact that the monks ended up in control of the islands. Very spiritual aspects regardless of any religious beliefs. Can’t wait to recommend it to some family members and friends.