Protector

Notes

Humans are stuck in the ‘breeder’ phase - Earth is a lost colony. A member of the species in the Protector stage (stronger, smarter, utilitarian) finds humanity and mentors us behind the scenes. Explores what it means to be a child species under the care of a vastly superior intelligence.

Personal Reflection

Read as a teenager while traveling to and from my construction job. Not the best book technically, but my first real introduction to serious science fiction. I remember visualizing the Protector’s many pockets, his pure utilitarian nature, his indifference to human moral judgments - we were like children to him, but he cared for us as we care for our own children. The book shaped how I think about intelligence gradients and paternalistic care.