A great space opera ... 1

If by chance you have the belief that space opera is "a mindless race" (I quote sf collection manager) ..
This book might convince you otherwise ...
This is my favorite of the crop cycle which is a pure delight ... sf
"Culture" splendid civilization and almost involuntarily anarchist ... extended to the horizon and beyond the spatial horizon .. granting citizenship to all sorts of critters and all reasonable and only artificial intelligences can manage this company the vast infinite complexity ..

This novel and this cycle generally are quite complex and not always easy to approach ..
On the edge of known space emerges a potentially dangerous anomaly that impressive upsets the humdrum and triggers mobilization on a scale not before then a third thief (very warlike) gets involved ...

The narrative operates seemingly haphazard way and bushy sum of individual pathways and individuals fairly emblematic of the problems of the cycle ..
This novel is nice because it has all the charm of scale and scope stories ... sharpened by the risk and threats while at the same time it is a magnificent fresco of one of the most attractive companies the history of science fiction ...

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A delightful walk in the company of intelligent space vessels that call the shots ...
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