I've read this before. When I first read it, I then binge-read all his books. He's written some more then so I've added to my list.

It is set for the first few chapters on an interstellar ark heading to a distant planet, then the rest when they have arrived. The ark has several colonies on board, each on their own ship behind a comet that is both shield and supplies.

It tells the story of two of those, one which is hierarchical and militaristic and religious, the other anarchical, told through the eyes of the leader of the first and one who is the focus of the action from the other. It is far more political fiction than science fiction.

Their is one scene where the anarchist, who seems much more likeable, does something horrible and seems not to show remorse or even to analyse it, as he does with other things he does that he acknowledges as wrong. I'm not sure why it was included.

Otherwise and excellent book.