On the edge of known space, two human factions race to make first contact with an alien civilization.
The Qeng Ho are traders who thrive on innovation and cooperation. The Emergents are ruthless opportunists who enslave minds through terrifying technology. Both arrive at a world where alien life lies dormant, waiting for its strange star to flare back to life in its 215-year cycle.
Patience becomes a weapon, and treachery is inevitable. As the Qeng Ho fight to preserve freedom against the iron grip of the Emergents, the fate of an entire planet—and the unsuspecting aliens awakening there—hangs in the balance.
Vernor Vinge’s A Deepness in the Sky is a Hugo Award–winning epic of courage, betrayal, and the enduring power of hope.
