Another uplift novel, set during and just after the events of Startide Rising. The Gubru, an avian race, take a terran world hostage. The story follows the internal politics in the Gubru command, and the guerilla activities of the human and ape terrans. The terrans have a great secret to keep while they try to reclaim their planet. They are secretly uplifting gorillas, which is against galactic rules and would cause Earth to be removed from the small amount of power it has gained, or even invaded itself.
Very well written, as usual with Brin his non-human characters are very good, with one of the apes getting all the best lines. The suspense is worked slightly better than in Startide Rising, and the basing in a colony gives a wider range of characters.
Review by Paul Silver, 1997
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