Peter Watts Is An Angry Sentient Tumor

Praise for Peter Watts is an Angry Sentient Tumor

[STARRED REVIEW] “Former marine biologist and Hugo Award–winning sf author Watts has collected over 50 essays from his blog, Crawl, and other sources from as far back as 2004. His writing is irreverent, self-depreciating, profane, and funny, showcasing a Hunter S. Thompson–esque studied rage and dissatisfaction with the status quo combined with the readability and humor of John Scalzi. These thought-provoking essays rail against hypocrisy, question the usefulness of consciousness, and explore counterrhetorical biases and how they impact our society. With intellectual rigor, clarity, and dark humor, Watts covers subjects as widely divergent as holidays, law enforcement and surveillance, homelessness, and the intersection of science and sf in the study of dolphin language. His film criticism covers J. J. Abrams' Star Trek movies, Blade Runner 2049, and the fallacy of oppression in the X-Men franchise. He shares personal stories, too: a life-threatening illness, the death of his brother. This collection of well-written essays has actual science backing up most of Watts' opinions about politics and humanity. Give it to readers looking for a deep dive into privacy, antirhetorical biases, and other sociological issues.
—Booklist, starred review

“Watts, a former marine biologist and Hugo Award-winning Canadian science fiction writer, rails against climate change one moment and movingly describes his relationship with a cat the next. You never know where his writing’s going to lead, and reading his essays is an exciting, energizing, and occasionally bewildering journey.”
 —Strange Horizons

“Peter Watts will shatter your illusions, crush your dreams, and vaporize your defense mechanisms, because he cares. He cares deeply about our world, and he respects you enough not to coddle you with reassurances. These essays are proof of that—they are tough love for the mind.”
 —Karl Schroeder, author of Ventus and Permanence

“You may not agree with every opinion Watts has, but you will have to admit he is an excellent writer, presents his opinions and facts clearly and concisely, and he is passionate about what he thinks.”
—She Treads Softly

“There's an underlying feeling to the pieces presented in the book that Watts cares He cares about the planet, he cares about humanity, he cares about everything. He gets angry at things precisely because he cares so much. And it really does show.”
—MT Void

Praise for Peter Watts

“Known for his pitch-black views on human nature, and a breathtaking ability to explore the weird side of evolution and animal behavior, Watts is one of those writers who gets into your brain and remains lodged there like an angry, sentient tumor.” —Annalee Newitz, io9

“Peter Watts blows my mind every single time.” —Kelly Robson, author of Gods, Monsters, and the Lucky Peach

“[Watts] asks the questions that the best science fiction writers ask, but that the rest of us may be afraid to answer.”—Chicago Tribune

“Watts is a poet when it comes to science.”—Justina Robson, author of Keeping it Real

“A sharp and incisive stylist with a rather tragic, if clear-eyed, view of human nature, and the capacity for some remarkable hard-SF inventions.”—Locus

“Watts continues to challenge readers with his imaginative plots and superb storytelling.”—Library Journal

“Possessing the stern moral acuity of James Tiptree, [Watts] also exhibits the intellectual zest of Arthur C. Clarke.”—Paul Di Filippo, Barnes & Noble Review

“Holding himself to a higher standard of storytelling, Watts uses the effects of mainstream sci-fi, yet continually aims at something deeper in humanity and society’s soul.”—Speculiction

• Promotion at trade shows and conventions, including BEA, ALA, and the World Science Fiction Convention
• Features, interviews, and reviews in tech and genre venues
• Author appearances to include Canada and international events TBD
• Planned galley distribution/giveaways to include NetGalley, Edelweiss, and additional outlets
• Advertising and promotion in national print and via online outlets and social media