Mankind has reached deep space. Separated from earth and each other by unimaginable reaches of space, forced to adapt to various diverse plantetary environments the colonies have become isolated and inward looking, forgetting their pasts, losing touch with their humanity. Until a mysterious ship found locked in the deep rock by a mining team on a planet whose surface is drenched in lethal radiation sparks off a deadly conspiracy that threatens man wherever he is. After his grim dystopias set on a failing earth Roger Levy has spread his wings to give us a broad and exciting SF novel of exotic locales and mindblowing ideas without losing any of his trademark pyschological acuity and elegant style.