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As new world orders materialize, and the balance of power shifts to the other side as it tends to do, the powerful figures near the heads of various governments are again brought together in the face of crisis. The clandestine Prometheus Group, assembling the best and brightest young scientific talent from all around, is being hounded and threatened by others in power who wish to assume control and use their space program for their own ends. Continued developments in automation and normalized social structures are taking power away from people and leaving them helpless in the face of a growing governmental movement that seeks to guide their life strictly and without hesitation. The rough and ready Munro and his allies will once again have to stand for their beliefs.
Even the most far-flung and futuristic science fiction is often an examination of the modern world. This story is no exception, focusing on shifting attitudes and an ever-changing global political climate as the backdrop for stories that take the reader all the way to the moons of Jupiter. The surreal and fantastical elements of the story will no doubt amaze readers and keep their imaginations firing, while the more commentative elements of the narrative will give them much to consider and examine. The characters are as strong as ever in this installment, bringing their various cultural attitudes and personal experiences to the center stage. Unlike much science fiction, this story focuses on characters that are a bit more advanced in age and carry with them a larger share of wisdom and gravity that is a refreshing and needed balance in the genre. Using allegory as a framework highlighted by well-written dialogue and character interplay, this story’s human element is easily its most compelling component.