On the distant planet of Jijo, six exiled races live side by side. Only ancient relics from their home planets, fragments of half-forgotten stories and the crumbling ruins of the mysterious and god-like Buyur remind the dispossessed of a more noble past, whe they were full citizens of the Five Galaxies. The races of Jijo, it seems, have been forgotten, along with whatever crimes thay committed. But for how long? It is at the time of the Gathering, the council of the sages, when the spacecraft is first spotted. For some, it offers a new hope. For others, it heralds a time of reckoning. Brightness Reef is the compelling story of a world threatened by its past and fighting for its future. With a gallery of extraordinary characters, and awealth of thought provoking ideas, it is a novel fuelled by the spirit of adventure and discovery. David Brin at his very best.