Thirty years ago, aliens arrive on Earth. Not to conquer or give aid, but to find refuge from their dying planet. Separated from humans in a South African area called District 9, the aliens are managed by Multi-National United, which is unconcerned with the aliens' welfare but will do anything to master their advanced technology. When a company field agent contracts a mysterious virus that begins to alter his DNA, there is only one place he can hide: District 9.

Dr. Adrian Helmsley, part of a worldwide geophysical team investigating the effect on the earth of radiation from unprecedented solar storms, learns that the earth's core is heating up. He warns U.S. President Thomas Wilson that the crust of the earth is becoming unstable and that without proper preparations for saving a fraction of the world's population, the entire race is doomed. Meanwhile, writer Jackson Curtis stumbles on the same information. While the world's leaders race to build "arks" to escape the impending cataclysm, Curtis struggles to find a way to save his family. Meanwhile, volcanic eruptions and earthquakes of unprecedented strength wreak havoc around the world.

In the 22nd century, a paraplegic Marine is dispatched to the moon Pandora on a unique mission, but becomes torn between following orders and protecting an alien civilization.

如果码，请薄码
想象一幅照片，奥巴马把手放在希拉里的胸前，在关键部位出现了一片肉色的马赛克，你的大脑会因此而兴奋不已吗？
这是广告公司 Memac Ogilvy & Mather Dubai 为非盈利机构“记者无国界组织”制作的广告，名为Censorship Tells the Wrong Story。想必中国人对此定会含笑不语。我们的大脑早已习惯了一个被重重编码的世界，每个人都被训练成一个天生的解码器，按照不同的逻辑规则，还原重组所谓的“真相”。更为可怕的是，每个人又在下意识中充当了信息的编码器，像是无数的光学棱镜，折射幻化出一个缤纷错乱的人间万花筒。
在这个时代，科幻小说反倒显得朴素直白了。
取名“薄码”，不单单是为了让宅男大脑中某个区域兴奋起来，它有两重含义，某种程度上说互为镜像：
一、科幻是一种对世界的观照方式，就像一面滤镜，把现实经过扭曲加工进行重现，就像打上一层马赛克，但又不远离到无法理解的程度，是为薄码；
二、相对于伸手不见指的“厚码”现实来说，科幻有时反倒能说出几句真话，理清一些常识，拨开重重迷雾，以一种逻辑自洽的诗意来还原这个宇宙，是为薄码。
我有一个梦想，有一天，我们的孩子能够手牵着手，享受一个无码的世界。
可大脑会不会在真相的高清码率冲击下崩盘呢？
仅以此书献给我的父母及所有在写作道路上帮助过我的良师益友。
陈楸帆
2011年11月11日于都柏林