Caitlen Decter could never have anticipated what was coming when she first sensed a strange presence on the internet Webmind is an emerging consciousness that has befriended blind mathematics genius Caitlin Decter and has grown eager to learn about her world. But Webmind has also come to the attention of WATCH - the secret government agency that monitors the Internet for any threat to the United States-and they're fully aware of Caitlin's involvement in its awakening. WATCH is convinced that Webmind represents a risk to national security and wants it purged from cyberspace. But Caitlin believes in Webmind's capacity for compassion-and she will do anything and everything necessary to protect her friend.

罗伯特·索耶（Robert J.Sawyer）是加拿大最有影响力的科幻作家。已出版17部长篇科幻小说，屡获雨果奖、星云奖等多种科幻奖项，被誉为加拿大科幻教长。索耶的科幻小说涉及多种主题，从电脑狂魔、恐龙复活、时间旅行，到平行时空、太空侦探，想像奇伟，异彩纷呈。索耶的代表作除《金羊毛》外，还包括《计算中的上帝》、《终极实验》、《恐龙文明三部曲》（《远望》、《化石猎人》、《异族》）、《星丛》、《原始人类》和《混血》等。

Robert J. Sawyer was born in Ottawa and lives just outside of Toronto, Canada. He has won both the Hugo and Nebula Awards for best novel. Visit his Website at www.sfwriter.com.