The story begins with a calculated diplomatic insult involving a biological weapon, threatening a war between Earth and the Nidu empire. To prevent annihilation, human negotiator Harry Creek must locate a specific, genetically engineered blue sheep known as the Android’s Dream for a coronation ritual. The task involves navigating high-stakes interstellar politics, dodging military hit squads, and cooperating with a hacker who has uploaded her consciousness into a computer. Creek tracks the organism through a web of corporate conspiracies and religious cults before the deadline expires.
Science fiction readers who appreciate political satire and cynical humor will find this narrative structure familiar. It appeals to those tired of overly earnest space operas, offering instead a fast-paced plot driven by pragmatic problem-solving and dry wit. The reader finishes the book with a clear understanding of how bureaucratic incompetence and individual greed drive geopolitical conflicts, all packaged within a satirical lens on first-contact tropes. It provides an example of how technical ingenuity and irreverence can solve seemingly impossible diplomatic crises.
- Published
- 2006
- Language
- EN
