Blindsight

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My main issue with Blindsight is that it's not as clever as it makes us readers believe. For one, the protagonist is just another version of the autistic savant, and one that claims he can do things that I think are bullshit, future or not. Sure, understanding systems just by looking at their surface output will work in some cases, but as a general guideline I would not put my money on it. And while there's lots of talk about said principle, in the end Siri Keeton doesn't do much more than read body language, and that's a bit of a disappointment after all the build up. Another crucial part of the plot - roughly speaking: human language being perceived as a dangerous virus because we tend to contradict each other and ourselves - doesn't ring true either, as a super-quantum-intelligence should be able to tackle seemingly paradoxical systems. But I'm nitpicking: also the finale third of the book is still a good read. It's just that the beginning creates expectations Watts can't uphold.

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Please read the full review on Weighing A Pig.