interspecies communication, ultra smart octopi, a banished android assists a brilliant and passionate marine biologist on a remote island of the coast of vietnam, a hacker attempting to get inside the androids brain, a kidnapped man trapped upon a robotic fishing trawler, it's all in here, gloriously written by naylor whom has put a lot of thought into the future, into the idea of communication. a twist on first contact. two main characters have written seminal works which punctuates the chapters in short excerpts. how to build a mind, and how oceans talk. these are the incredible themes that run behind the narrative. i loved it. you will to.