One of the most talked about Science Fiction novels of the last year is the debut novel of Ray Nayler. Born in Quebec and raised in California, Ray Nayler lived and worked abroad for two decades in Russia, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan,Kyrgyzstan, Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Vietnam, and Kosovo. A Russian speaker, he has also learned Turkmen, Albanian, Azerbaijani Turkish, and Vietnamese. In Vietnam he was Environment, Science, Technology, and Health Officer at the U.S. consulate in Ho Chi Minh City. Ray currently serves as the international advisor to the Office of National Marine Sanctuaries at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Beginning in August, 2023, he will be Diplomatic Fellow and Visiting Scholar at the Institute for International

All those unique experiences set the one-of-a-kind alchemy that resulted in a one-in-a-million Science Fiction novel. With all hyperbole intended The Mountain in the Sea is a life-changing novel. It is the kind of novel that should be on the shelf of all who are fighting for the rights of non-humans or combating climate change.

This is one of the best conversations I’ve had for this podcast we talk about Ray’s experiences and upbringing.  In the course of talking about the novel we get into the power of the ocean, sentience of non-human animals, and how world events changed the discussion of his novel from a focus on animal sentience to artificial intelligence. After a spoiler warning,upcoming novella we talk about the narrative process and Ray hints about his upcoming novella.