Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle have combined their talents to write the most highly acclaimed science fiction novel of the last ten years, a modern masterpiece to rank with Dune and Stranger in a Strange Land.

The book begins far into the future when man has long ago conquered the galaxy and colonized the planets of the stars. Men have wandered through every edge and corner of their universe, have withstood every challenge and obstacle, and reigned supreme.
Then one day, from out of nowhere, a space ship appears. It carries the emissaries of a world so totally alien in creed and culture, so terrifyingly strange and bizarre, as to elude all comprehension or understanding. And yet it is a world as utterly frightening and dangerous as our own, our equal in power and in technology. And perhaps in treachery and cunning.
Then, with horrible suddenness, the emissaries are accidentally killed and a danger signal has apparently been sent out. Now man is thrown into a headlong race, a race that leads man's star ships even into the centre of a giant red sun, a race to find the world from which the ship has come and convince it of our goodwill.

Above all, this new world, so frighteningly strange, so eerie and alien, must be seen and reported on. These weird new beings are far too dangerous, far too cunning, for mistakes in understanding ...