This series is set in a different universe than the previous series, and like that one it is consistent and believable. There are multiple story lines with many characters, and based on my previous experience with his books, it pays to pay attention to what’s going on in all of the story lines. They intersect and diverge seemingly at random, but at least so far with a greater purpose.

The story is set approximately 600 years from now with humanity having spread out through the stars. Since this book really is a lead-in to a 6 book series, and really should be considered the first half of a larger book, it really is just setting the foundation for what’s to come. Among the various subplots are a prospector searching for riches in an orbiting alien graveyard, pirate hunters, colonists struggling to make a home on a new, primitive world, and independent starship pilots trying to make a living. As of now, the colonists have unleashed a seemingly unstoppable power and it’s spreading thanks to those starship pilots.