Sphere (novel)

'''Crichton, Machael. Sphere.''' New York: Knopf, 1987.

SF techno-thriller/psychological novel centered on "a team of scientists assembled by the U.S. Government to examine an enormous spacecraft discovered on the bottom of the Pacific Ocean. The depth of coral covering the craft suggests that it has been lying there for over 300 years and so could only be" – they initially think — "of alien origin." Relevant here for increasingly threatening containment within a totally human-created environment that is alien in time (the craft is from our future) and has impressive pyschological and "psi" (parapsychological) effects. Source of SPHERE (film).

Discussed briefly in Gary K. Wolfe's "The Artifact as Icon In Science Fiction.

(RDE, 31Dec14, 24May19)