First published 1985
Human explorers aboard a spacecraft from Earth make contact with an alien intelligence far from home. The crew faces an unprecedented situation that requires psychological expertise beyond their training. They turn to their ship's Freud simulacrum, an artificial recreation of the famous psychoanalyst, seeking guidance on how to navigate this first encounter with non-human minds. The simulacrum must apply earthbound theories of consciousness and behavior to beings that may operate by entirely different psychological principles. As the crew waits for advice, they confront the limitations of human understanding when faced with truly alien thought processes. The story explores whether the frameworks we use to comprehend ourselves can help us bridge the gap to other forms of consciousness, or if such encounters reveal the boundaries of our own mental constructs.
Genres: science-fiction, psychological-thriller, artificial-intelligence
Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: first-contact, fish-out-of-water
Setting: Earth
Period: 20th-century, 21st-century
275 pages · Mass Market Paperback · Del Rey