About the Book
"One of the most intellectually exciting of all Ian Watson's books." - The Times
"An science fiction writer of powerful intellect-the natural successor to H. G. Wells." - The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction
"A
marvelous and moving piece of speculation on the nature of UFOs. A
supremely skillful narrative... A tremendous sense of conviction." - Spectator
John Deacon uses hypnosis to help his patients reach altered states of consciousness. One of his subjects, Michael Peacocke, is unusually susceptible and in their first session together, Michael recalls a "close encounter" - in both senses of the term - with an alien. Deacon, skeptical of the story, dismisses it as an adolescent sexual fantasy.
But then strange things begin to happen and Deacon is forced to reconsider. Could UFOs be symbols projected from the collective unconscious? Are they messages from the biomatrix? Does the mind have the ability to project objects and people that are physically real... yet somehow illusory?
