The Embedding

Ian Watson's brilliant debut novel was one of the most significant publications in British SF in the 1970s. Intellectually bracing and grippingly written, it is the story of three experiments in linguistics, and is driven by a searching analysis of the nature of communication.

Deep in the Brazilian jungle, an isolated tribe face eviction from their ancestral lands - and the psychedelic fungus that makes their religious language possible.

In a British laboratory, a brilliant linguist conducts cutting-edge experiments - but does his search for answers come at too high a cost?

And in the ultimate test of linguistics, First Contact presents a challenge unlike any humanity has faced before . . .

Fiercely intelligent, energetic and challenging, The Embedding immediately established Watson as a writer of rare power and vision, and is now recognized as a modern classic of SF.

Short-listed for John W Campbell Award 1974 (UK)

“Enthralling . . . It gave one the sense of being led very near to the brink of profundity, even revelationFast, invigorating . . . anthropology, linguistics, despoliation of the environment, consciousness-raising drugs, space travel, alien contact, the CIA, you name it. Watson writes with energy and panache - Science Fiction: The 100 Best NovelsThe most impressive first sf novel to appear in the seventiesBrilliantly attempts to communicate a precarious truth about what we think is actuality. The effect is quite hallucinating - The TimesThe most spectacular thing in science fiction since the astounding Solaris - The SpectatorAmbitious and compelling - Daily TelegraphOne of the most thought-provoking shudders of the year - The Times”

Enthralling . . . It gave one the sense of being led very near to the brink of profundity, even revelation

Fast, invigorating . . . anthropology, linguistics, despoliation of the environment, consciousness-raising drugs, space travel, alien contact, the CIA, you name it. Watson writes with energy and panache - Science Fiction: The 100 Best Novels

The most impressive first sf novel to appear in the seventies

Brilliantly attempts to communicate a precarious truth about what we think is actuality. The effect is quite hallucinating - The Times

The most spectacular thing in science fiction since the astounding Solaris - The Spectator

Ambitious and compelling - Daily Telegraph

One of the most thought-provoking shudders of the year - The Times

Ian Watson (1943 - )Ian Watson was born in England in 1943 and graduated from Balliol College, Oxford, with a first class Honours degree in English Literature. He lectured in English in Tanzania (1965-1967) and Tokyo (1967-1970) before beginning to publish SF with "Roof Garden Under Saturn" for the influential New Worlds magazine in 1969. He became a full-time writer in 1976, following the success of his debut novel The Embedding. His work has been frequently shortlisted for the Hugo and Nebula Awards and he has won the BSFA Award twice. From 1990 to 1991 he worked full-time with Stanley Kubrick on story development for the movie A.I. Artificial Intelligence, directed after Kubrick's death by Steven Spielberg; for which he is acknowledged in the credits for Screen Story. Ian Watson lives in Spain.

Ian Watson's brilliant debut novel was one of the most significant publications in British SF in the 1970s. Intellectually bracing and grippingly written, it is the story of three experiments in linguistics, and is driven by a searching analysis of the nature of communication. Deep in the Brazilian jungle, an isolated tribe face eviction from their ancestral lands - and the psychedelic fungus that makes their religious language possible.In a British laboratory, a brilliant linguist conducts cutting-edge experiments - but does his search for answers come at too high a cost?And in the ultimate test of linguistics, First Contact presents a challenge unlike any humanity has faced before . . .Fiercely intelligent, energetic and challenging, The Embedding immediately established Watson as a writer of rare power and vision, and is now recognized as a modern classic of SF.

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