A "Synthesist" who had half his brain removed to stop seizures, leaving him a highly analytical observer who lacks traditional empathy.
The crew encounters alien entities that are vastly more intelligent and faster than humans but appear to have no self-awareness or "inner life". Blindsight by Peter Watts.epub
The story begins in 2082 when 65,000 alien probes simultaneously surround Earth, photograph it in a flash of fire, and then vanish. In response, humanity sends the starship Theseus to the edge of the solar system to find out who—or what—is watching. A "Synthesist" who had half his brain removed
Peter Watts has made the book available for free under a Creative Commons license on his official site, though you can also find it at retailers like Barnes & Noble . In response, humanity sends the starship Theseus to
A biologist whose body is so heavily interfaced with the ship that he can "feel" the hull and "taste" radiation. Core Themes: Intelligence vs. Consciousness
A genetically resurrected vampire —an extinct, predatory subspecies of human with superhuman processing power but a lethal allergy to right angles (the "crucifix glitch").