When the crew of the Sunseeker investigates a gigantic, bowl-shaped object with a sun at the centre, their landing party is split into two groups. One is captured, while the other is pursed across a deadline landscape. Both seek to unravel the mysteries of the gargantuan artefact known as the SHIPSTAR. To survive, they must escape the alien inhabitants known as the Folk. What they discover on the way will transform the way mankind understands its place in the universe.