SOJALS rating:

Mediocre (2/5)

I first read this in October 1999.

This is the final book in the Uplift series.

Humans and "uplifted" dolphins had found ancient alien artifacts in the depths of space. These artifacts of some ancient race threaten to overturn the galactic hierarchy, As a result they are now fleeing (and have been for at least one or two previous books in this series) space armadas intent on seizing these artifacts and destroying the Earthlings. Meanwhile, Earth itself is under attack by malevolent aliens.

With the humans and dolphins on the Earth spacecraft, the Streaker, are the young representatives of the assorted races from the illegal colony planet Jijo.

If you like the uplift series, then of course you'll like this book. It's got good writing, likeable characters, great ideas and very big space structures. I enjoy reading them, although the series is intended for a younger audience than me (which means most people).

However, don't be content with just reading the Uplift series, make a point of reading "The Postman" which is one of the best post-apocalypse novels (right up there with "A Canticle For Leibowitz" and "Lucifer's Hammer"). I'd also recommend Brin's "the Practice Effect", if it is still in print, as being rather entertaining.

What's it got? Galactic databases with personality, very, very big space structures, faster-than-light travel through different realms of space, massive space armadas and bundles of wildly different aliens.