Paperback: 432 pages
Publisher: Orbit
Originally published: 1985
ISBN-10: 1857235800
ISBN-13: 978-1857235807
Copy: Bought online
Reviewer: Cara
On the back of the book
We are being watched
At first it seemed impossible – a radio signal that came not from Earth but from far beyond the nearest stars. But then the signal was translated, and what had been impossible became terrifying…
For the signal contains the information to build a Machine that can travel to the stars. A Machine that can take a human to meet those that sent the message.
They are eager to meet us: they have been watching and waiting for a long time.
And now they will judge.
Several people have recommended I read Contact in recent weeks so, having enjoyed the film version, I thought why not and duly ordered my copy. I am very glad I did as Carl Sagan explores more than just what could happen if SETI detects a signal from extraterrestrial intelligence. Religion, politics and human fear and prejudice all play their role in the story of Ellie Arroway’s discovery of a coded message from the Vega star system and the events following on from this.
Contact is Carl Sagan’s only work of fiction, and reflects much of his scientific pursuits, the importance of the SETI (Search for ExtraTerrestrial Intelligence) programme being one. I particularly enjoyed the religion vs. science aspect of the novel, which is particularly relevant today, as science is being severely undermined by the religious right especially in America (e.g. Creationism and the rejection of the body of scientific evidence in support of evolution). A strong theme is one of belief in the human race and hope of a better future for all.
Following the detection of a radio transmission consisting of a string of prime numbers, it soon becomes clear that a more detailed message is contained with the transmission. Blueprints for a Machine are encoded within the transmission and while there is some initial resistance, the project to build the Machine and use it to meet the senders of the message forms the basic plot. Contact is told mainly from the viewpoint of Dr Ellie Arroway, astronomer and Director of Project Argus, similar to the current SETI project, which Sagan championed for many years before his death in 1996. Ellie is one of the five-person team who travel through wormholes to meet the senders who appear to each as person significant in their life.
One distraction, for me, was the occasional foray into scientific theory. I found some of these sections were more like transcripts of a lecture rather than useful background information and was tempted to skip them. They did not add to the story and at some points confused my decidedly non-mathematical brain. Sagan also attempts some socio-political commentary, with mixed success. Given that Contact was written 25 years ago, parts of the book have been overtaken by events and the world political balance has shifted. That aside, Ellie’s experience of discrimination within the scientific community rang very true and, for me, was an important theme in the book.
I enjoyed Contact particularly as it left me questioning the readiness of the human race to encounter extraterrestrial intelligence. I share Carl Sagan’s belief that there is indeed life out among the stars and tend to agree that we need to get our own planet in order before venturing outside our solar system. Having Ellie Arroway as the lead character worked well for me, particularly as her frailties and insecurities made her sympathetic and likeable despite her driven obsessive nature. I felt that there were too many peripheral characters, however, and the plot became confusing and cluttered on occasion. That aside, the larger themes in Contact I found thought-provoking and very relevant to western society today. The science vs. religion debate has taken a (downward) turn that Carl Sagan did not envisage 25 years ago. But the main question I was left with was “Are we, as a species, ready for contact with extraterrestrial intelligence?” I would like to think I am as hopeful of the outcome as Carl Sagan was, but with the current depletion of natural resources and destruction of the environment on our own planet, I wonder if the human race will survive long enough to find out.
Plot: 8
Characters: 8
Style: 7
Overall rating 8/10
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