Reynolds always seems to incorporate new concepts in each new books. This time it involves identity again, just like Chasm City but in a different perspective.

Set some tens of years after the event of Hela in Absolution Gap, it begins in a somber tone when the Inhibitors have managed to reduce humanity to the fringe of space where threat of extinction loomed wide.

The journey of Clavain and Glass through space in search of a fabled weapon able to beat the Inhibitors back will took them to several worlds.

The story pace is actually quite slow (discounting the interstellar journey which took decades), compared to the previous books. It is easier to digest than the three separate stories as seen in Absolution Gap. A good spot in my opinion, though honestly i'm not picky with my taste of good books.

Highly recommended if you have been through the whole series. Surprisingly, i will still recommend them to new readers, since it is not heavy on reference from previous books.