Stephen Baxter is a trained engineer with degrees from Cambridge (mathematics) and Southampton Universities (doctorate in aero engineering research). Mr. Baxter lives in Prestwood, England. He has written a number of books and Emperor published in 2006 was the first in the series. This book published in 2007 is the second book in the much acclaimed Time's Tapestry following on from Emperor. The book is full of intrigue, plot and counter plot. The author keeps the pace fast and furious and the reader is carried along on a wave of euphoria. The synopsis provided by Amazon is more than adequate for the prospective reader to get a feel for what this book is about. Any more information would probably spoil it for the reader. Suffice to say that the book is a work of fiction and the author uses poetic licence to its best advantage to make an interesting and exciting novel.