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Watermind
From storm drains, illegal dumps, and flooded landfills, all of North America’s most advanced technology flows down the Mississippi River—microchips, nano-devices, pharmaceuticals, genetically modified seed—and lodges in the Louisiana delta. Out of this mire emerges a self-organized neural net, drifting in the the Watermind. It can freeze, boil, condense, and move—seemingly at will.
Both infuriating and sympathetic, CJ Reilly is a brilliant, sexy, self-destructive MIT dropout running away from Cambridge and the suicide of her ironic, emotionally-distant father. She is working as a laborer in Devil’s Swamp near Baton Rouge, cleaning up a small pollution spill, when she and her new lover, Max, discover the mysterious Watermind. Reilly’s more interested in investigating it than containing it, but when it kills someone and escapes into the Mississippi, corporations, governments, protesters, the Coast Guard, and a really wacky underground journalist get involved. And there’s no longer any question that it must be destroyed before it reaches the ocean. Watermind is Philip K. Dick meets The Blob , a postmodern combination of camp SF motifs and writerly ambition attacking serious subjects.
Both infuriating and sympathetic, CJ Reilly is a brilliant, sexy, self-destructive MIT dropout running away from Cambridge and the suicide of her ironic, emotionally-distant father. She is working as a laborer in Devil’s Swamp near Baton Rouge, cleaning up a small pollution spill, when she and her new lover, Max, discover the mysterious Watermind. Reilly’s more interested in investigating it than containing it, but when it kills someone and escapes into the Mississippi, corporations, governments, protesters, the Coast Guard, and a really wacky underground journalist get involved. And there’s no longer any question that it must be destroyed before it reaches the ocean. Watermind is Philip K. Dick meets The Blob , a postmodern combination of camp SF motifs and writerly ambition attacking serious subjects.
301 pages, Hardcover
First published November 11, 2008
5 people are currently reading
129 people want to read
About the author
M.M. Buckner
9 books8 followersMary M. Buckner is a hard science fiction author with an M.A. in Creative Writing from Boston University. Her first novel, Hyperthought was a finalist for the Philip K. Dick award, and War Surf won the award in 2005.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 64 reviews
June 30, 2009
Nanotechnology is to contemporary society what space flight was to the society of the '50s and '60s--achievable not but not quite viable yet. And just as space flight inspired some of the '50s and '60s most chilling sci-fi horror stories, nanotechnology serves the same role in the 2000s. Alas, while M.M. Buckner's Watermind has an intriguing concept, it fails to deliver anything resembling a good story.
The eponymous Watermind is a semi-sentient, self-emergent neural net that evolved from discarded electronic components washing down the Mississippi River. It's a cool concept; Buckner gets definite points for it. This is the ultimate in "environmental" artificial intelligence--although as the main character points out, it's not very artificial, since it evolved naturally. The Watermind, unlike the disembodied and abstract villain Skynet, exists as a physical slyph-like being, the Mississippi monster who's actually misunderstood.
That's where Watermind drags, unfortunately. Buckner can't sustain a Hollywood-monster-movie-style narrative, nor does she manage to create solid characters. None of her characters are three-dimensional. Some are two-dimensional, but most are one-dimensional caricatures introduced in an offhand way designed to let us know they're supposed to be caricatures. There's religious nuts, evil businessmen, and of course, all white people are out to get the Hispanic people and vice versa. Can't be having any morally ambiguous characters here!
The protagonist, CJ Reilly, isn't particularly likable. And Buckner seems to be obsessed with hormones. Reilly, supposedly an MIT-dropout genius with a trust fund, spends most of the book acting like a spoiled brat, and the rest of it acting like an idiot. She flouts scientific procedure and then cries foul when things don't go her way. She has a lover devoted to her--for reasons I never quite understood, except the sex must have been awesome--yet she uses him when she needs his help and then disregards him otherwise.
Granted, Reilly owns up to this last fact, and Buckner seems to be striving for a flawed heroine here. Toward the end of the book, Reilly thinks Max is dead and attempts to avenge his death--and redeem herself--but it just falls flat because I have absolutely no sympathy for her. Throughout the book, she addresses her dead father and we're given to understand that her relationship with her parents had been strained. I didn't quite follow what happened to her mother, who seems to have shared her name.
Flat characters aside, the other downfall is Buckner's writing. She attempts to convey the scope and majesty of the technological wonders inherent in the independent evolution of nanotechnological life. Unfortunately, it misses the mark and instead feels stilted. Awkward phrases like "her body exuded sexual chemistry" and "his mind went flaccid" made me feel like I was reading Twilight all over again. Buckner tends to go on at length about the intricate process by which the Watermind develops, but these scientific asides don't ameliorate the actual story.
Thus, while Watermind originates from a very nice idea, its execution fails to live up to the idea's merits. And even if your opinion of it isn't quite as severe as mine, I fail to see how it could ever live up to the hype printed on its dustjacket, with blurbs from the likes of Ben Bova, C.J. Cherryh, and Robert J. Sawyer. In fact, why read blurbs by those people? Go read one of their books instead of Watermind.
The eponymous Watermind is a semi-sentient, self-emergent neural net that evolved from discarded electronic components washing down the Mississippi River. It's a cool concept; Buckner gets definite points for it. This is the ultimate in "environmental" artificial intelligence--although as the main character points out, it's not very artificial, since it evolved naturally. The Watermind, unlike the disembodied and abstract villain Skynet, exists as a physical slyph-like being, the Mississippi monster who's actually misunderstood.
That's where Watermind drags, unfortunately. Buckner can't sustain a Hollywood-monster-movie-style narrative, nor does she manage to create solid characters. None of her characters are three-dimensional. Some are two-dimensional, but most are one-dimensional caricatures introduced in an offhand way designed to let us know they're supposed to be caricatures. There's religious nuts, evil businessmen, and of course, all white people are out to get the Hispanic people and vice versa. Can't be having any morally ambiguous characters here!
The protagonist, CJ Reilly, isn't particularly likable. And Buckner seems to be obsessed with hormones. Reilly, supposedly an MIT-dropout genius with a trust fund, spends most of the book acting like a spoiled brat, and the rest of it acting like an idiot. She flouts scientific procedure and then cries foul when things don't go her way. She has a lover devoted to her--for reasons I never quite understood, except the sex must have been awesome--yet she uses him when she needs his help and then disregards him otherwise.
Granted, Reilly owns up to this last fact, and Buckner seems to be striving for a flawed heroine here. Toward the end of the book, Reilly thinks Max is dead and attempts to avenge his death--and redeem herself--but it just falls flat because I have absolutely no sympathy for her. Throughout the book, she addresses her dead father and we're given to understand that her relationship with her parents had been strained. I didn't quite follow what happened to her mother, who seems to have shared her name.
Flat characters aside, the other downfall is Buckner's writing. She attempts to convey the scope and majesty of the technological wonders inherent in the independent evolution of nanotechnological life. Unfortunately, it misses the mark and instead feels stilted. Awkward phrases like "her body exuded sexual chemistry" and "his mind went flaccid" made me feel like I was reading Twilight all over again. Buckner tends to go on at length about the intricate process by which the Watermind develops, but these scientific asides don't ameliorate the actual story.
Thus, while Watermind originates from a very nice idea, its execution fails to live up to the idea's merits. And even if your opinion of it isn't quite as severe as mine, I fail to see how it could ever live up to the hype printed on its dustjacket, with blurbs from the likes of Ben Bova, C.J. Cherryh, and Robert J. Sawyer. In fact, why read blurbs by those people? Go read one of their books instead of Watermind.
June 10, 2009
Though this book came highly recommended (in a review from The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction by author Chris Moriarty, whose own work I've enjoyed), in the end I did not think Watermind measured up to Moriarty's praise. The characters seemed thin, overly-complicated collections of unrelated traits, and obscurely motivated - CJ Reilly, spoiled rich trust fund baby from the North (or, rather, "up Noth"); Ramon Sacony from Buenos Aires, a caricature of an industrial mogul with stereotypically perverse sexual appetites; and Max, CJ's love interest, noble blue-collar artist and trusty native guide to the Louisiana bayous... none of them was engaging or especially convincing.
And the plot was... well, it hearkened back to a time before there were graphic novels, when a comic book was just a comic book. In particular, I vividly remember poring over the tragic tale of "The Heap" (a very short-lived comic - one issue - published by Skywald in September 1971; sadly, I no longer own a copy). The Heap was a man transformed by goo, born of industrial waste and risen from the swamps, a misunderstood hero, impervious to bullets, who was often not allowed to save lives even when motivated to do so.
The Watermind did not start out as a human being, though, and indeed we never really find out what the Watermind thinks, or even if it has thoughts, about its emergence from the toxic lower reaches of the Mississippi River. That lack of insight substantially weakens the novel's impact. We are never given a chance to see the mind of the Watermind, to sympathize with it as we are apparently intended to do at least for awhile.
For that reason, and despite a smattering of science-fictional elements, Watermind is primarily a horror story. The Watermind is a new menace-of-the-week, not a character in its own right. It's misunderstood, and has some potential for profitable exploitation, but even the heroine comes around to the idea that it must be stopped, in the end.
And the plot was... well, it hearkened back to a time before there were graphic novels, when a comic book was just a comic book. In particular, I vividly remember poring over the tragic tale of "The Heap" (a very short-lived comic - one issue - published by Skywald in September 1971; sadly, I no longer own a copy). The Heap was a man transformed by goo, born of industrial waste and risen from the swamps, a misunderstood hero, impervious to bullets, who was often not allowed to save lives even when motivated to do so.
The Watermind did not start out as a human being, though, and indeed we never really find out what the Watermind thinks, or even if it has thoughts, about its emergence from the toxic lower reaches of the Mississippi River. That lack of insight substantially weakens the novel's impact. We are never given a chance to see the mind of the Watermind, to sympathize with it as we are apparently intended to do at least for awhile.
For that reason, and despite a smattering of science-fictional elements, Watermind is primarily a horror story. The Watermind is a new menace-of-the-week, not a character in its own right. It's misunderstood, and has some potential for profitable exploitation, but even the heroine comes around to the idea that it must be stopped, in the end.
January 27, 2015
I hated the characters. All of them. I hated them so much that I've had to abandon the book.
The Good:
Fairly good dialogue.
Assumes the reader is intelligent, and when introducing new terms or ideas, explains them.
Interesting premise
The Bad:
The characters aren't likeable, except one because we're supposed to be rooting for him but it's so over the top that I couldn't like him either.
Poor physical descriptions of characters.
The main character is emotionally stunted and hard to relate to. Author describes her as "impulsive", but since she's supposed to have got most of the way through MIT, shouldn't she have been broken of the impulsive habits (/sarcasm) with regards to scientific method, specifically data and sample collection as well as SAFETY???? I just couldn't believe there could be anyone this well versed in the chemical concepts explored and be so stupid.
Story moves extremely slowly.
I got this out of the library and found a note tucked inside blasting the book for the misogynism rampant in the book. I can see where the previous reader would come to this conclusion. The women are described mainly for their physical characteristics that relate to fuckability. However, I found that this was equally applied to male characters. Hooray for equal opportunity?
Where I found the misogyny I raged at was that every single female character that had the opportunity to speak from their point of view was primarily focused on gaining the sexual attraction of the bad guy. Seriously?
The Good:
Fairly good dialogue.
Assumes the reader is intelligent, and when introducing new terms or ideas, explains them.
Interesting premise
The Bad:
The characters aren't likeable, except one because we're supposed to be rooting for him but it's so over the top that I couldn't like him either.
Poor physical descriptions of characters.
The main character is emotionally stunted and hard to relate to. Author describes her as "impulsive", but since she's supposed to have got most of the way through MIT, shouldn't she have been broken of the impulsive habits (/sarcasm) with regards to scientific method, specifically data and sample collection as well as SAFETY???? I just couldn't believe there could be anyone this well versed in the chemical concepts explored and be so stupid.
Story moves extremely slowly.
I got this out of the library and found a note tucked inside blasting the book for the misogynism rampant in the book. I can see where the previous reader would come to this conclusion. The women are described mainly for their physical characteristics that relate to fuckability. However, I found that this was equally applied to male characters. Hooray for equal opportunity?
Where I found the misogyny I raged at was that every single female character that had the opportunity to speak from their point of view was primarily focused on gaining the sexual attraction of the bad guy. Seriously?
October 28, 2011
Within the first 25 pages, we are treated to the n and v words for female private parts, casual drug use and a bi-racial couple who become lovers after 2 weeks of knowing each other. And, of course, a young, pretty, intelligent, rich & sexually promiscuous girl struggling with the after-effects of a repressive, controlling father and absent mother. I couldn't care less for the characters or subject matter.
The book has this anti-authority anti-establishment feel which I really appreciate (sarcasm). Drugs and free love are fine. Weird nature and technology themes. Conventional / normal people are seen as stupid and repressive.
Book club pick - otherwise I wouldn't have read more than the first 5 pages. I'm not a science fiction fan in general. This story was incredibly unpleasant and just plain stupid. I'd rather get a root canal than read this book.
The book has this anti-authority anti-establishment feel which I really appreciate (sarcasm). Drugs and free love are fine. Weird nature and technology themes. Conventional / normal people are seen as stupid and repressive.
Book club pick - otherwise I wouldn't have read more than the first 5 pages. I'm not a science fiction fan in general. This story was incredibly unpleasant and just plain stupid. I'd rather get a root canal than read this book.
March 24, 2009
Story evolves around the premise that computer chips plus other flotsam and jetsum including lab created bacteria, genetically modified waste products and typical American garbage combine to create an Artificial Intelligence. Interesting and fun.
August 12, 2009
I was hoping the book would be similar to M.Crichton stuff but as i got 1/4 way thru i struggled. Was a little disappointed, just not technical enough for me, if guess. Mushy Mushy and techno stuff just dont mix well for me.
November 22, 2010
This really wasn't that good. It had potential & I kept hoping it would realize it, but it never did. Don't waste your time.
February 25, 2024
Ya I hated this book. The premise is so interesting!! Sentient water!! But the book under-delivered. What I disliked most is that the main character, a woman, is being so actively portrayed in a way that is nothing short of "she breasted boobily down the stairs". I was CONVINCED the writer must be male. Well, fuck me, it's a woman. HOW?!
My hate especially goes to the sensual/sex scenes that are SO UNNECESSARY for this story, and so fucking weird too. Any scene that's got the word "penis" in it automatically loses all attraction for me. And the way the main character was portrayed as highly promiscuous, sex-driven, thinking about cheating all the time, getting herself off in the midst of research, how she's so flaky - ugh, it's fucking awful. On the back of the book someone praises it for making the main character "so real" and all I can say is?????? Did we even read the same book?
The ending is whatever, it's okay, it's not what I'd hoped but tbh by the last 100 pages I was anything but interested in this book.
This book claims to be scifi. It's all very thin for me. I was so excited to read water scifi, and I am disappointed beyond words. This book is the exact opposite of a recommendation. Stay far away from it. Read, idk, anything else.
I'm donating this book and hoping that the next reader does find it enjoyable (although I can't see how they possibly could).
My hate especially goes to the sensual/sex scenes that are SO UNNECESSARY for this story, and so fucking weird too. Any scene that's got the word "penis" in it automatically loses all attraction for me. And the way the main character was portrayed as highly promiscuous, sex-driven, thinking about cheating all the time, getting herself off in the midst of research, how she's so flaky - ugh, it's fucking awful. On the back of the book someone praises it for making the main character "so real" and all I can say is?????? Did we even read the same book?
The ending is whatever, it's okay, it's not what I'd hoped but tbh by the last 100 pages I was anything but interested in this book.
This book claims to be scifi. It's all very thin for me. I was so excited to read water scifi, and I am disappointed beyond words. This book is the exact opposite of a recommendation. Stay far away from it. Read, idk, anything else.
I'm donating this book and hoping that the next reader does find it enjoyable (although I can't see how they possibly could).
February 1, 2025
Ich finde es sehr schwierig dieses Buch zu bewerten. Die Grundidee ist völlig faszinierend und hat mich überhaupt dazu bewegt mir dieses Buch zuzulegen. Aber meiner Meinung nach hätte man mehr daraus machen können. Diese „Evolution“ aus Technikschrott und organischen Abfällen, der Gedanke hat schon etwas, aber wie die Handlung sich dann entwickelt, das ist teilweise ziemlicher Unsinn. Erschwerend kommt hinzu, dass in dem gesamten Buch keine einzige Figur sympathisch ist. Auf der einen Seite bin ich froh, dass ich das Buch gelesen habe (es ermöglicht einen komplett neuen Blickwinkel) auf der anderen Seite habe ich während des Lesens so oft gedacht :„Was für ein Quatsch. Komplett unlogisch das Ganze.“ Ich bin einfach unentschieden, darum drei Sterne.
November 26, 2021
Computer weather sensory motes have assorted experiences which alter their programming; they travel and combine with other waste which then causes problems in the New Orleans delta. Fast action with interesting characters.
What happens when our e-waste becomes sentient and combines with other e-waste and biological material and adapts? Fascinating concept.
The main character, CJ, is mercurial and highly intelligent and develops an affinity for the evolving e-entity as she and others try to figure out what to do with it. (Most just want to kill it; she wants to somehow try to help it to move on and not kill any more people inadvertently.)
What happens when our e-waste becomes sentient and combines with other e-waste and biological material and adapts? Fascinating concept.
The main character, CJ, is mercurial and highly intelligent and develops an affinity for the evolving e-entity as she and others try to figure out what to do with it. (Most just want to kill it; she wants to somehow try to help it to move on and not kill any more people inadvertently.)
September 17, 2023
I am not sure why I gave it a 3 other than I did not like the main character. Actually, I did not like most of the characters save 1. But! I enjoyed the premise and the writer was great at creating visuals and also the character attributes. So I did not like the characters but the writer did the job of telling me who they were. The writing was good and the premise made me do some research.
March 16, 2018
Such mixed feelings on this one. I love the premise, and the technical stuff seems to be described pretty well, but oh the YA floweriness and superficiality! Everybody's so pervy, and nobody's eye color gets overlooked. Not my cup of tea.
August 13, 2017
Unlikely premise and slow development. I quit early on.
September 3, 2017
I tried, but I just couldn't get into this book and never finished.
July 3, 2025
This one was rather strange
January 12, 2015
Watermind
By M. M. Buckner
Conceptually, Watermind is an interesting idea. A mixture of sophisticated computers, electronic garbage, and toxic sludge accidentally evolving into an alien artificial being. As a story the novel doesn't really go anywhere. We don’t get much insight into the creature. The writing is focused on a cast of characters that we never really connect with – mostly CJ Reilly. The style reminds me of a Hollywood horror movie at times – so much so that at one point I expected CJ to get pregnant with some sort of hybrid spawn. No, the story didn't go there but my mind did perhaps because of the omnipresent foreboding tone of the story. By the end, despite the length of the book, I felt like I had read a short story rather than a novel. Still, I would say it is a worth the read if you pick it up at a bargain price.
Spoiler Alert
This review does contain major plot points.
The prologue tells us that 144 micro-computers accidentally get washed into the a river, 119 of them end up in a mix of toxic waste and electronic garbage called Devil’s Swamp. Somehow they form some kind of neural net.
The story is mostly told from the POV of CJ Reilly- a woman who is working on the clean up in the swamp. After the swamp ices over in the middle of the hot summer, she makes a miraculous discovery when she analysis a sample from the toxic sludge that turns out to be pure water. Water pure enough to drink.
We then meet Roman Sacony, CEO of Quimicron. A friend of CJ’s late father, he becomes involved with containing the newly found entity after the death of one of the workers.
CJ is given the job of identifying the pond fluid which she quickly identifies as an emulsified colloid but further explanation of its strange properties elude her. They catalog a cornucopia of electronic bits and pieces and verify that the colloid produces pure water but don’t get much farther than that in their study of it.
Eventually they dub it “watermind” of the book’s title. CJ is determined to use it to revolutionize the world as method for generating clean water. The corporate interests are only interesting in keeping it from spreading.
The story gets bogged down at times in the strange language choices and the fact that nothing much actually happens. At one point the author writes “Her womb suffused with crampy heat.” I have no idea what that was supposed mean.
CJ pushes to communicate with the watermind using music. We never see things from the creatures POV but it seems to respond. Meanwhile competing interests proceed with research on how to destroy the creature instead. Despite their best efforts to keep it contained the watermind escapes into the Mississippi.
As the story goes public, everyone starts to panic. Meanwhile the watermind starts growing and evolving as it travels down stream.
The panicky battle against this unknown ‘menace’ reads almost like a Hollywood movie script, right down to the ending which is reminiscent of classic monster and alien science fiction movies.
By M. M. Buckner
Conceptually, Watermind is an interesting idea. A mixture of sophisticated computers, electronic garbage, and toxic sludge accidentally evolving into an alien artificial being. As a story the novel doesn't really go anywhere. We don’t get much insight into the creature. The writing is focused on a cast of characters that we never really connect with – mostly CJ Reilly. The style reminds me of a Hollywood horror movie at times – so much so that at one point I expected CJ to get pregnant with some sort of hybrid spawn. No, the story didn't go there but my mind did perhaps because of the omnipresent foreboding tone of the story. By the end, despite the length of the book, I felt like I had read a short story rather than a novel. Still, I would say it is a worth the read if you pick it up at a bargain price.
Spoiler Alert
This review does contain major plot points.
The prologue tells us that 144 micro-computers accidentally get washed into the a river, 119 of them end up in a mix of toxic waste and electronic garbage called Devil’s Swamp. Somehow they form some kind of neural net.
The story is mostly told from the POV of CJ Reilly- a woman who is working on the clean up in the swamp. After the swamp ices over in the middle of the hot summer, she makes a miraculous discovery when she analysis a sample from the toxic sludge that turns out to be pure water. Water pure enough to drink.
We then meet Roman Sacony, CEO of Quimicron. A friend of CJ’s late father, he becomes involved with containing the newly found entity after the death of one of the workers.
CJ is given the job of identifying the pond fluid which she quickly identifies as an emulsified colloid but further explanation of its strange properties elude her. They catalog a cornucopia of electronic bits and pieces and verify that the colloid produces pure water but don’t get much farther than that in their study of it.
Eventually they dub it “watermind” of the book’s title. CJ is determined to use it to revolutionize the world as method for generating clean water. The corporate interests are only interesting in keeping it from spreading.
The story gets bogged down at times in the strange language choices and the fact that nothing much actually happens. At one point the author writes “Her womb suffused with crampy heat.” I have no idea what that was supposed mean.
CJ pushes to communicate with the watermind using music. We never see things from the creatures POV but it seems to respond. Meanwhile competing interests proceed with research on how to destroy the creature instead. Despite their best efforts to keep it contained the watermind escapes into the Mississippi.
As the story goes public, everyone starts to panic. Meanwhile the watermind starts growing and evolving as it travels down stream.
The panicky battle against this unknown ‘menace’ reads almost like a Hollywood movie script, right down to the ending which is reminiscent of classic monster and alien science fiction movies.
June 7, 2011
„Carolyn (CJ) nahm die Probe mit beiden Händen entgegen wie ein wertvolles Juwel – oder wie eine tickende Bombe.“ Seit Jahrzehnten wird das verlassene Sumpfgebiet Devil’s Swamp als Mülldeponie benutzt. Doch nun gelangen dort hochkomplexe Mikrochips in einen Tümpel voller Chemikalien und Biomasse. Sie setzen eine Kettenreaktion in Gang – und eine neue Lebensform entsteht, anders als alles, was es bisher auf unserem Planeten gegeben hat. Aber ist sie friedlich … oder eine tödliche Gefahr?
Der Thriller beginnt mit der Entstehung dieser neuen Lebensform, dem Watermind und ehe man es sich versieht liegt man zusammen mit der jungen CJ auf dem mysteriösen eisartigen "Ding". Die Idee, dass sich ein hochkomlexer Microchip in einem Tümpel voller Chemikalien und Biomasse zu einer neuen, eigenständigen Lebensform entwickelt hat, scheint erst ziemlich fremd und fast schon fantastisch. Eine Laboranalyse liefert dem Leser jedoch eine glaubwürdige und recht realistische wissenschaftliche Erklärung. Und eben mit dieser Erklärung sollte man die heutige Forschung, die raschen Fortschritte in der Gentechnik und die großen Sprünge bei der Erschaffung der künstlichen Intelligenz betrachten. Der Mensch entwickelt Computer die "eigenständig" arbeiten, die sogar lernen und dadurch Probleme bewältigen können ohne einen vorherigen Befehl (Lösung) zu bekommen. Ich will damit sagen, dass es wirklich jederzeit passieren kann.
Der zweite Teil, die Evolution, vermag ein wenig an Spannung verlieren bevor man im dritten und letzten Teil, Epiphanie actionreich dem Ende entgegen "rast". Langeweile entstand hier definitiv nicht. Dazu muss ich aber sagen, dass ich mich für diese Thematik [KI (künstliche Intelligenz), für die Entstehung der Arten und für die Evolution] sehr interessiere. Wer für solche Themen nichts oder nicht viel übrig hat, für den könnte das Buch vielleicht sogar sehr langweilig werden.
Die Kapitel sind recht kurz gehalten, was das Lesen und verarbeiten wesentlich einfacher gestalten lässt. Wissenschaftliche Abkürzungen, Begriffe und Vorgänge werden umgehend und für jeden verständlich erklärt. Der Schreibstil ist toll und flüssig. Besonders finde ich, dass man einige Personen und ihre Charakterzüge erst oder auch nur durch ihre Handlungen und Verhaltensweisen kennen lernt und nicht durch eine "langweilige" Erklärung der Person. Das macht das Ganze noch realistischer.
Fazit: Abschließend möchte ich Euch erklären, wie ich mich bei diesem Buch gefühlt habe: Als ich das Buch las, kam ich mir nicht vor, als würde ich einfach nur ein Buch lesen, sondern es war als säße ich im Kino und sähe einen "Kassenschlager".
Der Thriller beginnt mit der Entstehung dieser neuen Lebensform, dem Watermind und ehe man es sich versieht liegt man zusammen mit der jungen CJ auf dem mysteriösen eisartigen "Ding". Die Idee, dass sich ein hochkomlexer Microchip in einem Tümpel voller Chemikalien und Biomasse zu einer neuen, eigenständigen Lebensform entwickelt hat, scheint erst ziemlich fremd und fast schon fantastisch. Eine Laboranalyse liefert dem Leser jedoch eine glaubwürdige und recht realistische wissenschaftliche Erklärung. Und eben mit dieser Erklärung sollte man die heutige Forschung, die raschen Fortschritte in der Gentechnik und die großen Sprünge bei der Erschaffung der künstlichen Intelligenz betrachten. Der Mensch entwickelt Computer die "eigenständig" arbeiten, die sogar lernen und dadurch Probleme bewältigen können ohne einen vorherigen Befehl (Lösung) zu bekommen. Ich will damit sagen, dass es wirklich jederzeit passieren kann.
Der zweite Teil, die Evolution, vermag ein wenig an Spannung verlieren bevor man im dritten und letzten Teil, Epiphanie actionreich dem Ende entgegen "rast". Langeweile entstand hier definitiv nicht. Dazu muss ich aber sagen, dass ich mich für diese Thematik [KI (künstliche Intelligenz), für die Entstehung der Arten und für die Evolution] sehr interessiere. Wer für solche Themen nichts oder nicht viel übrig hat, für den könnte das Buch vielleicht sogar sehr langweilig werden.
Die Kapitel sind recht kurz gehalten, was das Lesen und verarbeiten wesentlich einfacher gestalten lässt. Wissenschaftliche Abkürzungen, Begriffe und Vorgänge werden umgehend und für jeden verständlich erklärt. Der Schreibstil ist toll und flüssig. Besonders finde ich, dass man einige Personen und ihre Charakterzüge erst oder auch nur durch ihre Handlungen und Verhaltensweisen kennen lernt und nicht durch eine "langweilige" Erklärung der Person. Das macht das Ganze noch realistischer.
Fazit: Abschließend möchte ich Euch erklären, wie ich mich bei diesem Buch gefühlt habe: Als ich das Buch las, kam ich mir nicht vor, als würde ich einfach nur ein Buch lesen, sondern es war als säße ich im Kino und sähe einen "Kassenschlager".
June 11, 2012
This is the book that I read for my Sci-Fi Fantasy Book Club meeting tomorrow night (June 12, 2012). I believe it was selected because it is based mostly near Baton Rouge, Louisiana. This would have been a great pure science fiction book, but, alas, the author chose to throw native color and sex and such into the book, which does not make it a simply bad book, but bad in wondrous new and terrifying ways.
First, as to the science fiction: all of the garbage of early 21st century America east of the Rocky Mountains and west of the Appalachians eventually gets washed down the Mississippi River – all of the pieces from electronic dodads, all the flushed-away prescriptions, all the toxic chemicals from landfills and industry – everything. The book’s core is that some of this stuff, eddied and cooking in the Louisiana sunshine, brewed up a sentient colloid that eats metal and emits pure water as a byproduct.
As to the people involved, we have one C. J. Reilly, a gorgeous erratic woman who is one dissertation short of her MIT doctorate and her current boyfriend, creole zyedeco musician Max Pottevents. They are working as scutworkers for Quimicron, a chemical plant located north of the Huey P. Long Bridge, cleaning up a toulene spill in Devil’s Swamp. The pair discover this colloid in a pond (it’s early March, and the pond is a sheet of ice), and Reilly quickly uses her chemist smarts to determine that this is something new to science that is way cool. However, the smoldering Brazilian CEO of Quimicron, one Roman Sacony, only wants this colloid destroyed, especially after it eats a few barges once it gets into the canal that connects Devil’s Swamp to the Mississippi River. Apparently everyone who works at Quimicron is Creole, and speak in a weird patois; and once word of this colloid leaks out, all of the workers begin whispering about Djab Dile and speculating on links with Baron Samedi. If the idea that everyone in and around Baton Rouge is apparently just-off-the-boat-from-Haiti Creole isn’t bad enough, the author has a way with words that would grant her a failing grade in any English composition class. She uses the word “drool” at least three times, and never as one would expect (“a stack of old batteries drooled ashy globs of corrosion”) and my favorite bad line is “Then she opened three sticks of cherry-flavored gum, stuffed them in her mouth, and masticated.” (And I haven’t even mentioned the sex scenes yet, and I don’t plan to.)
This was a bad book (which will probably eventually end up as a hit movie), but at least I will have great fun ripping the book apart at the book club meeting tomorrow night.
First, as to the science fiction: all of the garbage of early 21st century America east of the Rocky Mountains and west of the Appalachians eventually gets washed down the Mississippi River – all of the pieces from electronic dodads, all the flushed-away prescriptions, all the toxic chemicals from landfills and industry – everything. The book’s core is that some of this stuff, eddied and cooking in the Louisiana sunshine, brewed up a sentient colloid that eats metal and emits pure water as a byproduct.
As to the people involved, we have one C. J. Reilly, a gorgeous erratic woman who is one dissertation short of her MIT doctorate and her current boyfriend, creole zyedeco musician Max Pottevents. They are working as scutworkers for Quimicron, a chemical plant located north of the Huey P. Long Bridge, cleaning up a toulene spill in Devil’s Swamp. The pair discover this colloid in a pond (it’s early March, and the pond is a sheet of ice), and Reilly quickly uses her chemist smarts to determine that this is something new to science that is way cool. However, the smoldering Brazilian CEO of Quimicron, one Roman Sacony, only wants this colloid destroyed, especially after it eats a few barges once it gets into the canal that connects Devil’s Swamp to the Mississippi River. Apparently everyone who works at Quimicron is Creole, and speak in a weird patois; and once word of this colloid leaks out, all of the workers begin whispering about Djab Dile and speculating on links with Baron Samedi. If the idea that everyone in and around Baton Rouge is apparently just-off-the-boat-from-Haiti Creole isn’t bad enough, the author has a way with words that would grant her a failing grade in any English composition class. She uses the word “drool” at least three times, and never as one would expect (“a stack of old batteries drooled ashy globs of corrosion”) and my favorite bad line is “Then she opened three sticks of cherry-flavored gum, stuffed them in her mouth, and masticated.” (And I haven’t even mentioned the sex scenes yet, and I don’t plan to.)
This was a bad book (which will probably eventually end up as a hit movie), but at least I will have great fun ripping the book apart at the book club meeting tomorrow night.
June 20, 2010
Tief in den durch die moderne Industrie verpesteten Wassern der Sümpfe des Mississippi entwickelt sich eine neue Lebensform - teils aus biologischen, teils aus winzigen elektronischen Komponenten. Sie wächst und hinterlässt auf ihrem Weg flussabwärts richtung Meer eine Schneise der Verwüstung - und weil sie zunehmend intelligenter und auch größer wird, macht sie den für den Sumpf verantwortlichen Großindustriellen Roman, der angesichts der immer größer werdenden Schadenssumme alles daran setzt, das "Ding" zu stoppen, auch zunehmend Kopfzerbrechen.
Das ist ersteinmal ein kreativer Ansatz, das muss man dem Autoren lassen: Eine nicht wirklich böse, aber gefährliche wässrige W-Lan-Kreatur. Und sie kommt nicht aus dem All, sondern ist das Ergebnis des bedenkenlosen Umgangs des Menschen mit seiner Umwelt.
Das reicht dem Autoren jedoch noch nicht: Als Beinahe-Gegenspielerin Romans entwirft er die mit genialen Zügen und einem nicht ganz so hellen Liebhaber ausgestattete junge Wissenschaftlerin CG, die von wissenschaftlicher Neugier und Mutterinstinkten getrieben das Wasser-Wesen retten will. Am Ende erkennt allerdings auch sie, dass das Wesen (wenn auch nicht en gros) sterben muss.
Aber das reicht immer noch nicht: CG ist sich über ihre Empfindungen gegenüber Roman und ihrem Liebhaber Max nicht ganz sicher. Und natürlich schläft sie erst mit dem einen und dann mit dem anderen (und überraschenderweise auch mit dem Wasser-Blob).
Aber am Ende wird alles gut: CG erkennt ihren Fehler in Bezug auf die Kreatur, entscheidet sich irgendwie doch für ihren zwischendurch totgeglaubten, nun aber wiederkehrenden Liebhaber, Roman entpuppt sich letztendlich doch als durchaus mitfühlendes und liebenswertes Wesen und das "Ding" wird durch EMPs in einem letzten großen Showdown geröstet.
Der Grundgedanke des Aufbaus, die Spannung über eine immer weiter wachsende und immer bedrohlicher werdende Kreatur und die von der Hauptfigur CG zu treffenden Entscheidungen sowie ihren sich zuspitzenden Konflikt mit Roman zu steigern, scheint durchaus sinnvoll. Der Autor ist zudem sichtlich bemüht, den Figuren Tiefe zu geben - sie wirken nicht wie Stereotypen. Aber trotzdem misslingt der Versuch: Die etappenreiche Verfolgungsjagd mit sich wiederholenden Mustern auf dem Old Men River ist ermüdend. Die psychologische Motivation Romans und CGs in Bezug zu ihren Handlungen wirkt konstruiert. Der lange Showdown - der nichts wirklich Neues mehr bringt - rettet das Buch nicht. Er verstärkt vielmehr die Langeweile, die irgendwo in der Mitte des 463-Seiten-Romans aufkommt.
Das ist ersteinmal ein kreativer Ansatz, das muss man dem Autoren lassen: Eine nicht wirklich böse, aber gefährliche wässrige W-Lan-Kreatur. Und sie kommt nicht aus dem All, sondern ist das Ergebnis des bedenkenlosen Umgangs des Menschen mit seiner Umwelt.
Das reicht dem Autoren jedoch noch nicht: Als Beinahe-Gegenspielerin Romans entwirft er die mit genialen Zügen und einem nicht ganz so hellen Liebhaber ausgestattete junge Wissenschaftlerin CG, die von wissenschaftlicher Neugier und Mutterinstinkten getrieben das Wasser-Wesen retten will. Am Ende erkennt allerdings auch sie, dass das Wesen (wenn auch nicht en gros) sterben muss.
Aber das reicht immer noch nicht: CG ist sich über ihre Empfindungen gegenüber Roman und ihrem Liebhaber Max nicht ganz sicher. Und natürlich schläft sie erst mit dem einen und dann mit dem anderen (und überraschenderweise auch mit dem Wasser-Blob).
Aber am Ende wird alles gut: CG erkennt ihren Fehler in Bezug auf die Kreatur, entscheidet sich irgendwie doch für ihren zwischendurch totgeglaubten, nun aber wiederkehrenden Liebhaber, Roman entpuppt sich letztendlich doch als durchaus mitfühlendes und liebenswertes Wesen und das "Ding" wird durch EMPs in einem letzten großen Showdown geröstet.
Der Grundgedanke des Aufbaus, die Spannung über eine immer weiter wachsende und immer bedrohlicher werdende Kreatur und die von der Hauptfigur CG zu treffenden Entscheidungen sowie ihren sich zuspitzenden Konflikt mit Roman zu steigern, scheint durchaus sinnvoll. Der Autor ist zudem sichtlich bemüht, den Figuren Tiefe zu geben - sie wirken nicht wie Stereotypen. Aber trotzdem misslingt der Versuch: Die etappenreiche Verfolgungsjagd mit sich wiederholenden Mustern auf dem Old Men River ist ermüdend. Die psychologische Motivation Romans und CGs in Bezug zu ihren Handlungen wirkt konstruiert. Der lange Showdown - der nichts wirklich Neues mehr bringt - rettet das Buch nicht. Er verstärkt vielmehr die Langeweile, die irgendwo in der Mitte des 463-Seiten-Romans aufkommt.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 28, 2015
There seems to be a small subgenre of science fiction in which pollution, garbage, sewage or some other disgusting substance forms itself into some kind of malevolent being. The one that comes most quickly to mind is the movie "Godzilla versus the Smog Monster." I think that many years ago I also read a comic book in which a garbage dump coalesced part of itself into a being called Garbage Man. These stories generally are severely lacking in verisimilitude. The premise is pretty absurd anyway. But then, a lot of premises in science fiction are pretty absurd. For that matter, all fiction is false. Otherwise, it wouldn't be fiction. The trick in giving it verisimilitude is in the author and the reader collaborating in allowing the reader to suspend his or her disbelief. The authors of this subgenre usually do not hold up their end of the collaboration. In other words, these stories are usually very poorly written. The best one that comes to my mind is "It" by Theodore Sturgeon. In that one the monster coalesces from the detritus of the forest floor. It is only a short story, though, and so it does not develop the character of the monster very fully nor the character of the others in the cast. "Watermind" is an exception to the usual in this subgenre. It is a story about the pollution that has been dumped into a Louisiana swamp forming an intelligence that, when attacked, defends itself by killing people. The human characters are well developed. There is a romantic subplot. The human protagonist is a young woman who knows her chemistry and who proceeds to analyse the monster in the water and to recognize it as a cognizant being. She actually develops an affection for it too. I liked the story. Nevertheless, throughout the novel I could not completely shake the feeling that I was watching a low budget science fiction movie from the 1950s.
February 22, 2014
Not a bad book, but not all that good, either.
All of America's trash has been accumulating in Louisiana swamps for decades-- pharmaceuticals, computer chips, GMOs, industrial chemicals. Somehow they have recombined into a new type of organism that may or may not be self aware. I kind of like the premise, but it doesn't really go anywhere.
Some have complained about this plot, but to me this as standard SF fare. I think the complainers read the book as a thriller, rather than SF. And they may have been right, because the plot is more of a thriller plot--can they contain or destroy the creature before it escapes?--rather than an SF plot focusing on how the creature evolves and becomes either a partner to or enemy of humanity.
For a good example of the SF version, read Sawyer's WWW series. For a so-so thriller version, read this book.
The biggest problem with the book is that there is no one to care about. Only one character, Max, the boyfriend, is truly sympathetic. Everyone else is completely self centered and prone to fits of anger. The main character is your basic genius grad school drop-out who can't control her emotions, makes brilliant leaps based on no evidence whatsoever, sleeps around and has a total lack of interest in her own safety. Somehow she never appealed to me.
All of America's trash has been accumulating in Louisiana swamps for decades-- pharmaceuticals, computer chips, GMOs, industrial chemicals. Somehow they have recombined into a new type of organism that may or may not be self aware. I kind of like the premise, but it doesn't really go anywhere.
Some have complained about this plot, but to me this as standard SF fare. I think the complainers read the book as a thriller, rather than SF. And they may have been right, because the plot is more of a thriller plot--can they contain or destroy the creature before it escapes?--rather than an SF plot focusing on how the creature evolves and becomes either a partner to or enemy of humanity.
For a good example of the SF version, read Sawyer's WWW series. For a so-so thriller version, read this book.
The biggest problem with the book is that there is no one to care about. Only one character, Max, the boyfriend, is truly sympathetic. Everyone else is completely self centered and prone to fits of anger. The main character is your basic genius grad school drop-out who can't control her emotions, makes brilliant leaps based on no evidence whatsoever, sleeps around and has a total lack of interest in her own safety. Somehow she never appealed to me.
March 31, 2018
"oh I could kiss you!" she blurted. Then she blushed and lowered her head. Her womb suffused with crampy heat. He fondled her hand against his shirt, and she felt the firm muscles of his upper abdomen. His signals were clear. He wanted her. P150
203 pages to go. I don't think I can make it. It's agonizingly bad. Such a shame, because the idea of a watermind is fascinating. The other reviews are correct in that the characters are flat, CJ is so unlikeable its hard to have an interest in her, Max is depicted as a kindhearted simpleton who doesn't speak science and the guy who was ready to fire her for bringing the company in danger now wants to fuck her. It's not really clear why but then again it's not clear why I keep punishing myself by continuing to read this. If Buckner wrote this to help the environment in some way, the world would be better off if her book had remained a tree.
*edit* finished it. It gets a little better at the end but the story needed a lot of "miraculous" things to happen.
203 pages to go. I don't think I can make it. It's agonizingly bad. Such a shame, because the idea of a watermind is fascinating. The other reviews are correct in that the characters are flat, CJ is so unlikeable its hard to have an interest in her, Max is depicted as a kindhearted simpleton who doesn't speak science and the guy who was ready to fire her for bringing the company in danger now wants to fuck her. It's not really clear why but then again it's not clear why I keep punishing myself by continuing to read this. If Buckner wrote this to help the environment in some way, the world would be better off if her book had remained a tree.
*edit* finished it. It gets a little better at the end but the story needed a lot of "miraculous" things to happen.
August 8, 2021
"Es lebt. Es wächst. Es denkt."
Die Idee und der Klappentext klangen für mich sehr interessant. Anfangs konnte mich das Buch auch durchaus fesseln, aber ab spätestens der Mitte des Buches war es einfach zäh und das Ende hat mich dann ziemlich enttäuscht. Die Handlung ist ein andauerndes Hin und Her - von einer persönlich emotionalen Krise zur Nächsten, von einem Sexual-partner zum anderen. Das Watermind gibt ab und zu eine mäßige Reaktion von sich, aber meiner Meinung nach steht es im Hintergrund der Handlung! Ich habe den Eindruck, dass die Autorin zwar eine klasse Idee hatte, aber keinerlei/kaum technisches Verständnis hat. Durch mein Studium (Elektrotechnik) verstehe ich ihre zahlreich verwendeten und zusammengewürfelte Fachausdrücke, aber der Sinn erschließt sich mir nicht immer. Zudem haben Leser ohne Kenntnisse in diesem Bereich vermutlich Schwierigkeiten das geschriebene zu verstehen. Ich kann dieses Buch nicht weiterempfehlen, aber ob es lesenswert ist, muss schlussendlich jeder für sich selbst entscheiden.
Die Idee und der Klappentext klangen für mich sehr interessant. Anfangs konnte mich das Buch auch durchaus fesseln, aber ab spätestens der Mitte des Buches war es einfach zäh und das Ende hat mich dann ziemlich enttäuscht. Die Handlung ist ein andauerndes Hin und Her - von einer persönlich emotionalen Krise zur Nächsten, von einem Sexual-partner zum anderen. Das Watermind gibt ab und zu eine mäßige Reaktion von sich, aber meiner Meinung nach steht es im Hintergrund der Handlung! Ich habe den Eindruck, dass die Autorin zwar eine klasse Idee hatte, aber keinerlei/kaum technisches Verständnis hat. Durch mein Studium (Elektrotechnik) verstehe ich ihre zahlreich verwendeten und zusammengewürfelte Fachausdrücke, aber der Sinn erschließt sich mir nicht immer. Zudem haben Leser ohne Kenntnisse in diesem Bereich vermutlich Schwierigkeiten das geschriebene zu verstehen. Ich kann dieses Buch nicht weiterempfehlen, aber ob es lesenswert ist, muss schlussendlich jeder für sich selbst entscheiden.
February 12, 2012
I was under the impression that this was a book with critical acclaim and good writing to boot.
The first 50 pages may grip you by the balls, but once you start getting the meat of the book you get left with a pretty unsatisfying taste in your mouth.
After the first introductory part, the books writing slumps over into a ditch and is completely boring to read.
I didn't finish reading this book, as I couldn't bare the bad writing any longer after page 128.
This books strengths are few and far between.
It has a satisfying thud when you shut it with one hand on the spine.
You can stop and resume reading pretty much anywhere, since it doesn't have chapters and instead segues between characters every few pages under a new heading relating to liquids or bodily fluids.
And it's a good way to kill time, if you have nothing better to do.
And I mean, nothing.
The first 50 pages may grip you by the balls, but once you start getting the meat of the book you get left with a pretty unsatisfying taste in your mouth.
After the first introductory part, the books writing slumps over into a ditch and is completely boring to read.
I didn't finish reading this book, as I couldn't bare the bad writing any longer after page 128.
This books strengths are few and far between.
It has a satisfying thud when you shut it with one hand on the spine.
You can stop and resume reading pretty much anywhere, since it doesn't have chapters and instead segues between characters every few pages under a new heading relating to liquids or bodily fluids.
And it's a good way to kill time, if you have nothing better to do.
And I mean, nothing.
February 9, 2009
I probably went into this book with a jaded eye because there's a typo on the back flap (the author was a "finalst" for an award). Tor, Tor, Tor. You're getting sloppy.
I liked the premise of the book a lot: all of the electronic crap that we throw away without even thinking about it flows downstream and melds together to form a new form of conciousness, the "watermind." I thought the whole thing could have been fleshed out a lot better though. And the end was a cop out and an unsatisfying anticlimax.
It was a pleasant enough diversion, but I found myself anxious to be done with the book because it just wasn't all THAT interesting.
I liked the premise of the book a lot: all of the electronic crap that we throw away without even thinking about it flows downstream and melds together to form a new form of conciousness, the "watermind." I thought the whole thing could have been fleshed out a lot better though. And the end was a cop out and an unsatisfying anticlimax.
It was a pleasant enough diversion, but I found myself anxious to be done with the book because it just wasn't all THAT interesting.
April 30, 2009
This one lost me. It started out so well for sci-fi. Nano monitors combine and acquire some basic intelligence to the point where they start migrating into Louisiana. A person finds the pond where they're located and starts to interact them.
But, then, Buckner loses me as the events slow down and we spend way too much time discussing the foibles of the human characters.
Other than Asimov, Herbert and Heinlein, I tend not to get into lots of sci-fi character development (I never really appreciated the Ender's series for example).
But, then, Buckner loses me as the events slow down and we spend way too much time discussing the foibles of the human characters.
Other than Asimov, Herbert and Heinlein, I tend not to get into lots of sci-fi character development (I never really appreciated the Ender's series for example).
March 13, 2015
Again 3stars from me is good book. It has to be something special to get 4 and almost impossible to get 5.
Started slowly for me, but picked up steam by 1/3 of the way through. I liked all the trash creating a new life form. Something like life originally starting on earth from the primordial ooze. The lead female character, CJ, was irritating in her headlong rush into dangerous situations without any thought at all. And she was supposed to be so smart! Max was at least as intelligent as she but without the education. Makes me think of Mark Twain's heaven.
Started slowly for me, but picked up steam by 1/3 of the way through. I liked all the trash creating a new life form. Something like life originally starting on earth from the primordial ooze. The lead female character, CJ, was irritating in her headlong rush into dangerous situations without any thought at all. And she was supposed to be so smart! Max was at least as intelligent as she but without the education. Makes me think of Mark Twain's heaven.
August 6, 2016
I was drawn to this book because I thought the idea was clever. I was disappointed to find that, despite the clever idea, the execution was poor at best. The characters were flat and almost all of them were unlikable, the dialogue between characters was nearly always stilted and/or awkward, and the sex scenes were weird and felt out of place considering the tone of the rest of the novel. At least, I think that's the case. In all honesty, I don't really know what happened throughout this book, but I know that the writing was clunky and didn't read all that well.
January 24, 2010
Interesting concept, but spoiled by poor writing. The characters were cardboard when secondary, and random when primary, particularly the protagonist and the human antagonist, behaving firmly how the plot required them to whether or not it made any sense in terms of their supposed personalities. I think the resolution was scientifically implausible given the nature of the beast, but then so was much of its behavior.
October 18, 2012
Watermind written by M. M. Buckner was a very very well written book but a little adult for me. In the book some random microchips and other trash make a super underwater computer that is intelligent! The main character CJ is a super genius MIT drop out that is trying to find out about this creature and communicate. I think it was a great book but I wish I had been older before I read it. For ages 17 and up.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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