A hard sci-fi space opera-esque adventure! The year is 2231. Humanity has spread out into space thanks to the invention of FTL and torchdrives. It is a world of science and progress, but not without danger. The overall technological vibe of the setting resembles a mix of biopunk, vaguely retro classic-sci-fi, and contemporary stuff. The diverse crew of the Pheidippides, a scout ship refit into a courier, must deliver a highly important message to the far end of known space (the Oval, as it's called), that could turn the tide in the Space Cold War against the evil Hegemony. They will face many hardships and challenges along the way, but it is their camaraderie that will save them and the Alliance. Along the way, they will meet many strange and obscure civilizations. They are flawed: Artur is violent, Kuw is too casual, Patch is too haughty... but they will grow and improve as people over the course of the mission. This is a rather actionized, standalone sequel to Stardust, but it will still mostly make sense even if you did not read that book so starting with this is fine. There's less gore than in the first book, but like in the first book there's a rather gory scene near the end. Definitely less than most books marked with "gore". There's now a sequel, Labyrinth! Check it out!