I picked this up as a used book, so my edition is older than most, but I have to agree with some other reviewers here who questioned why it was brought back into print. Clearly this novel is a low point in Benford's career. I really wanted to enjoy this book but I couldn't get past the filler. All the "intrigue" and running around by our heroes got on my nerves and did little for me in the entertainment department, in fact it prevented me from finishing the book. I simply didn't care about these characters enough to follow all their exploits and "sneaking" around in order to wrest the artifact from the clutches of whats-his-face (Kontos). I have read a great deal regarding "alternate theories" about the origins of man, so I was looking forward to reading a novelized version of those theories from a trusted author like Benford. Things just didn't work out that way. Try Timescape or Heart of the Comet for a MUCH better representation of Benford's talent.