Since leaving Earth many years ago, full of optimism in their quest to make first contact with intelligent life among the stars, Captain Miriam Hunter has been through a lot. Many of the crew are dead – most of them murdered by the very lifeforms they strove so hard to meet. Many times there has been a glimmer of hope that one day they may see their home planet once again, but somehow that goal never seems to get any closer and remains the ultimate longshot. Relationships have been pushed to the brink, friendships lost, and decisions taken that weigh heavily on Hunter’s shoulders.

Now the women remaining on board the Bona Dea are getting close to uniting the six fragments of an ancient artefact which promises them an audience with an all-powerful being. Could this be their ticket home? Or just the latest in a series of crushing disappointments, leading to more death and despair?

This fourth and concluding part of the Bona Dea saga was one of the best yet, throwing the ship’s crew into an unusual predicament which they have no obvious means of escaping. Their fortunes ebb and flow as they have done throughout the series, and their eventual fate hangs in the balance almost to the final pages. It’s a really strong ending to the journey the characters have been on, both literally and metaphorically, and I highly recommend the series to any sci-fi fan looking for something a bit different.