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Hero archetypes
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Synopsis
From the back cover Warner paperback February 2004: 2019: NASA astronaut Nigel Walmsley is sent on a mission to intercept a rogue asteroid on a collision course with Earth. Ordered to destroy the comet, he instead discovers that it is actually the shell of a derelict space probe -- a wreck with just enough power to emit a single electronic signal... 2034: Then a reply is heard. Searching for the source of this signal that comes from outside the solar system, Nigel discovers the existence of a sentient ship. When the new vessel begins to communicate directly with him, the astronaut learns of the horrors that await humanity. For the ship was created by an alien race that has spent billions and billions of years searching for intelligent life... to annihilate it.
Is In the Ocean of Night appropriate for my child?
Suitable for most readers 13 and up.
This classic hard SF novel features existential threats and the discovery of an ancient alien intelligence bent on destroying intelligent life. The tension comes from cosmic-scale peril rather than graphic content.
What to know going in
This book has moderate violence, no sexual content, and mild language. Content notes include genocide, mass death, and existential threat.
Publisher ages reflect reading level; our rating reflects content maturity — they can differ.
Who'll love this
Teens interested in realistic space exploration and first contact scenarios will enjoy this intelligent thriller about humanity's encounter with an ancient alien threat.