Even when you figure out the entire plot way before the main characters, the book is still a page turner to the very end. I have my criticisms, but I must admit it’s a fun read and lovely escape into a space mystery. My criticisms/annoyances really: 1. I’ve read three of books in the series: Seeker, Polaris, and A Talent for War. The two main characters are idiots when it comes protecting themselves from obvious sabotage. Again and again and again in every book. I can’t help be but very frustrated by a glaring contradiction, the characters are obviously intelligent enough to connect the dots and take precautions but don’t. I suspect the author is either lazy or actually the creativness to challenge the protaginist new ways. Can you imagine if Indiana Jones got caught by a giant rollling stone ball in every film?!?! Ugh. Come on Jack, let’s put some new obstacles and villians in the way of intrepid explorers shall we. I really hope book four doesn’t follow the exact same plot as the as the previous three. 2. McDevitt doesn’t convey a female lead well, it seems to me, or perhaps that’s an illusion and instead I just don’t relate to Chase as much as Alex, since I’m a guy. Though I don’t think that’s true, since I’ve found many female protagonists quite compelling, and other reviews also critizize McDevitt’s switch from Alex to Chase.

I'm 3/4 the through Polaris, having previously read A Talent For War, and I wish I could ask Jack McDevitt the following: How many times do your main characters have to experience ship/vessel sabotage before they begin to anticipate it and take extraordinary precautions against it? Is this going to be an ongoing theme in the rest of your books? Because it's already gotten real old...

This is a good book to start with if your going to read McDevitt. It's a nice detective story that just happens to be scifi.