The first book had several things that were good enough to get me to read Shipstar. I'm not sorry I did, but I can't recommend it to others. It feels like I walked a long way to a very anti-climatic ending. Too many conveniently invented elements. Some very tough problems with the story? Just invent a new species. "The Great Shame?", not really. There may be a third book, but I won't be reading it.