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Content snapshot
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Violence
Some
Violence; a totalitarian faction uses mind-control technology
Language
Barely any
Mild language
Sexual Content
Barely any
Brief adult content
Substance Use
None
No substance use
Emotional Intensity
A lot
Themes of totalitarianism, first contact, and the difference between civilization and control
What this book is about
Vinge's 1999 prequel to A Fire Upon the Deep follows two groups of humans stranded in orbit above a spider-like alien civilization: the idealistic Qeng Ho traders and the totalitarian Emergents, as they wait for the alien sun to re-ignite and use the time very differently. Hugo Award winner. For adults.
Notes for sensitive readers
Reader-flagged moments and themes that may affect your experience.
Mind-control depicted
Totalitarian content
Reader Verification
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