A planet that appears & disappears is populated by mutually exclusive life forms? The premise is intriguing, but it’s so obvious that the planet can’t possibly be natural that one wonders why the characters find it so difficult to accept the fact. For that matter a planet that fluctuates in space, within a solar system, absolutely must perturb the rest of the planets in the system—but not here. As intriguing as the premise is it’s soiled by the constant need to suspend disbelief. This is more a YA novel than a serious adult fiction. While I was able to suspend my disbelief it was definitely entertaining…but there’s a limit to the amount of silly emotional byplay in a story that I can handle.

And the assassin is just too inane to be accepted: if he’s so well trained and so mentally in control of himself, a) why does he wait until it’s impossible to collect on the debt to ask for the money? b) why is it so easy for him to mentally disintegrate? As for the others? Look at Verner Vinge’s “Marooned in Real Time” to see how someone copes with being left to fend for herself on a lonely world, and still take revenge.

And finally…there is no end. That is such a letdown—there’s not even a hint at why these people are kept alive or what they’re expected/hoped to accomplish; nor is there any hint of hope of salvation against the coming destruction of all. Is there any thing to look for in the sequels? ( )

Maybe I've read too much Foster. But this story was very predictable. Hence, boring. The premise is interesting; but come on! A robot probe records a planet that appears and then disappears. And a manned expedition *lands* on it?! Are we surprised that they later find they cannot leave? Not wanting to give away anything, I will only say that bad guys do get a very deserved fate. That was the best part of the book. The aliens are very unbelievable and difficult to imagine. So, like I said: interesting premise; execution not so great. Not his best writing.

Etwas enttäuschend, da die Story teilweise nicht schlüssig, zu viele physikalische und biologisches Extreme, die nicht miteinander lebensfähig wären - auch auf einer solchen Welt, wie Quofum. Auch die Verhaltensweisen der Wissenschaftler, auch wenn sie ein verschrobenes Völkchen sein können, ist nicht schlüssig. Ein guter Ansatz aber in meinen Augen nicht gut durchdacht. Die Story ist flüssig erzählt, wie von Foster gewohnt. Sie hat eine Vielfalt von Ideen, deren Fassetten für mehrere Bücher ausgereicht hätten. Aber vielleicht gibt es irgendwann eine Fortsetzung. ( )

Substance: A rather pointless investigation of flora an fauna on a mysterious planet. Supposedly a crucial episode in the Commonwealth / Flinx series, but has no meaning apart from that series. Ends haphazardly without any conclusions.

The rank stupidity of the survey team might have been acceptable in the Golden Age, or even on a Star Trek episode, but is inexcusable in 2008.

Style: Foster hasn't met any paragraph he can't begin with a leading clause that contains no indication of the subject of the sentence. (He's not the only one who overuses the mystery-subject pre-clause, but he is among the worst.)

NOTES:
p. 65: Makes a big deal of the ocean water being 9% alcohol (this is never explained), then uses stream water to douse a fire (with no comment).

p. 194: The idea that a loss of hope leads to complete freedom of action might have some plausibility, but most people get despondent in that situation.
p. 232: The stupidity of the crew reaches a zenith when they each keep their discoveries secret from the others, after they are marooned.
SPOILER ALERT
The elaborate plot to send an assassin along to kill the captain for bad debts "as an example" is ludicrous beyond belief. One: too extreme and convoluted; Two: who will know he did it? ( )

The latest in the Humanx Commonwealth universe. While in theory about the strange planet of Quofum and the researchers assigned to it, it is also clearly about the 'Great Evil' that has been hinted at in previous books and will soon arrive in our galaxy. Fairly typical Foster, without Pip and Flinx. Interesting, but a little bit limited. ( )