Oooh wow, now that was a really good read, extremely lengthy but really good.

This time we're back in the Yellowstone system but our old friends (or enemies, depending on how you view them), the Conjoiners are back, along with a few blasts from the distant past: don't worry, you'll soon catch up with who's who again.

When Ilia activated the cache weapons in the last book the Conjoiners, whose weapons they actually happen to be, received an alert that they've been activated and it's not too long before they decide that they're going to get them back.   But there's rifts amongst the Conjoiners, who aren't as conjoined as they might seem, and some want the weapons for a different reason.

And so it's off to Resurgam, via Chasm City, in souped up lighthuggers that bend the laws of physics, in a crazy game of star-ship-chase-me as the different factions want to get there first and get the cache weapons -- both gleefully trying to throw a spanner in the other's works along the way.

And what a great time is going to be had when we get to Resurgam, what with the Inhibitors now unleashed by Sylveste's previous shenanigans, running amok and making to destroy the whole solar system, and also Ilia having absolutely no desire to give up her weapons to anyone.

There's also lots of other great story telling things and characters going on besides -- like a whole planet to evacuate before the inhibitors burn it to death.   You won't be bored.

Super good and now it's straight into Absolution Gap. ( )

listened to the audio book. very enjoyable, but a bit heavy handed with both the pseudo science and the similes, especially for sex and love. overall, would recommend to anyone that likes hard scifi. really enjoyed the audio book experience, too! ( )

A pornit excelent, a continuat ok, a sfârșit lamentabil... si dup-aia tot a mai tinut-o langa 2 sute de pagini - o carte zombie. Sper ca editorul lui reynolds si-a facut harakiri, fiindca în masa aceasta gelatinoasa, labartata si enervantă se ascundea o carte bună. Dar reynolds, ca de fiecare dată, nu e in stare să se oprească pe granița dintre geniu si delir, iar cine ar fi trebuit sa-i dea două palme metaforice nu si-a facut treaba. Pe la pag 650 m-am oprit, efectiv furios. Nu tocmai efectul pe care mi-l doresc de la un hard sf... Nu mai spun cât de prost sunt scrise personajele, cat de inexistente sunt motivațiile lor si fortate deciziile, tepene dialogurile si dezlegata intriga. Păcat de lumea exceptional de bine si profund imaginata. ( )

Excellent throughout... although only makes sense as part of the whole saga. Otherwise it would be unsatisfying. ( )

Reynolds can weave a complex story with far future imaginings. Advances in medicine, and longevity, genetic uplift of non-humans (in this case monkeys and pigs), and alien tech no one can really figure out - either how it works, or what it's for. ( )