From Publishers Weekly
Intellectual playfulness and lively writing propel British authors Stewart and Cohen's second SF novel (after 2000's
Wheelers), with its exuberant picture of a galaxy full of wildly different intelligent beings. Space is also littered with the potentially dangerous relics of the Precursors, an extinct race whose science was so advanced that it resembled magic. To keep these tools or weapons out of the wrong hands, the church of Cosmic Unity tries to join all races in peaceful cooperation. That's how Servant-of-Unity XIV Samuel sees the situation, even though nomadic Neanderthal star traders and aquatic natives of the planet No Moon distrust Cosmic Unity's methods. By the time Sam realizes that Cosmic Unity's version of heaven resembles a hell designed by Hieronymus Bosch, a lot of suffering has occurred and more is on the way. Since this is basically a novel of ideas, readers will forgive some underdeveloped characters and actions, as the authors focus on big, juicy chunks of extrapolation. Apparently the reverse of the old saying is true: for evil to triumph, it's only necessary for good men to try to do everything. Since that's an unfortunately timely message, the book is not just a satisfying brainteaser but actually might make readers think.
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Product Description
In the grand tradition of Gregory Benford and Greg Bear, internationally popular scientists and acclaimed authors Dr. Ian Stewart and Dr. Jack Cohen come together again to create a brilliant new novel of huge, speculative ideas and suspenseful adventure. On the ocean world of No-Moon, mariner Second-Best Sailor learns that his planet is threatened by evangelists. A devoted acolyte of Cosmic Unity, Servant-of-Unity XIV Samuel lives to spread its gentle message of universal harmony...until he discovers a dark secret buried in his religion's memeplex. Abandoning his faith, Samuel stumbles upon Second-Best Sailor, who is fleeing No-Moon in search of a new homeworld. Flung together by fate and joined by fascinating and bizarre creatures, the two new allies plot a kamikaze plan to fight off the invaders. But can they bring down an idea that has destroyed everything across tens of thousands of light-years?
