In Known Space, an incredible object of artificial origin has been discovered—and a similarly incredible expedition sets out to study it. Among its members are Louis Wu, an adventure seeker who has lived far too many years for such a richly full life; Ness, a representative of the Pearson puppet-maker race, forever trembling with fear and capable of self-defense only in a state of insanity; Tila Brown, an unconnected girl with no connections, experience, or abilities—but with luck no one else has been given by nature; and Talking-with-Animals, a kzin—huge, predatory, with an orange hide—the son of the fiercest clan in the Universe.