The Jonah Kit (Gollancz S.F.) (Paperback)

Foremost among the narrative structure, a Soviet (this book was written in 1975) research establishment based at a remote outpost on Sakhalin Island has established a method of imprinting the human consciousness into the brain of a modified, programmed whale, with the future aim of using such programmed whales to provide military intelligence on the locations of US naval shipping and for economic use. In Japan, a 6 year old Russian child, with his minder, has turned up from the above-mentioned Soviet establishment and seemingly appears to possess the mind of a supposedly dead Soviet cosmonaut. High up in the mountains of Mexico a Nobel Prize-winning megalomaniac of a scientist, Paul Hammond, has made the earthshattering discovery that signals received from his radio telescope demonstrate that the Universe is really composed of antimatter particles and that this matter universe is really only a 'ghost' of the real Universe that will eventually collapse in on itself. These revelations eventually come together in a shocking climax that is quite disturbing in its bleak nihilism.

Where this book excels is in its excellent use of characterisation and structure. This is perhaps at the expense of pacing as the first half of the novel is quite slow and appears at times to plod along though admittedly the pace picks up considerably towards the end. However Watson's evocative use of language to describe the psychology of the novel's characters, their surroundings and the environment at large, particularly the oceans, more than makes up for that particular shortcoming. Watson's speculations on the origins of the Universe and the method of imprinting human consciousness onto whale brains are also quite bold and daring, written in such a way that they come across as quite plausible to the reader and easily understood. There is also however the minor annoyance of certain characters briefly popping up midway through the book, namely the Italian journalist Gianfranco Morelli who exists only to offer alternative explanations to the origins of the Universe.

Ultimately this novel is all about communication. Communication between humans, communication between humans and whales, communication between animals, communication between humans and the Universe. This novel is a vivid reminder that without communication, we then lose our common humanity and we are subsequently nothing.