I really like this book, and strongly recommend it (makes my "top 100" list.) This is the kind of surprise you hand to someone who thinks they've read all the good books... It looks like a book about hunting, and starts out like one - but becomes more. I don't want to give away the plot so you can enjoy any surprises. If I were to compare it to other works - think of Van Vogt or Schmitz at their prime. This is loosely set in the same "universe" as Burkett's first book Sleeping Planet, which was a serial in Analog in 1964. [Blood Lines is a close sequel, that I feel is competent, but not as good as this.]