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In the early 2000s, a mysterious rock appeared in our solar system, slowed down and then stopped in a stable orbit around Earth. Scientists from all over the world were sent up to study it, find out where it came from and so on and so forth. They discovered a vast system of "chambers" filled with cities and more. They also found what I can only describe as a modern-day version of the Library of Alexandria. The problem is what they found written in exactly that library. Because the knowledge some selected few gained is almost making them lose their minds and in their desperate attempt to understand and prevent certain events, their secrecy is exactly what triggers the calamity nobody wanted.

We're following one of the scientists, Patricia, as she is recruited and then sent up to The Stone. There, through her eyes, we see the railway system, the market squares, quarters, and all the other astonishing things this mysterious astronomical wonder has to offer. It was a great way to be eased into this world.

Personally, I didn't understand why the discovery in the library was such a big deal. Yes, it's unsettling, it makes you afraid and all that jazz. But here it is so fucking deal with it in a productive way! What they (not just the scientists but the politicians as well) did instead was ... a very elaborate form of procrastinating. And over the span of 5 years, some of these brilliant minds should have realized that the way they were going about it just WASN'T WORKING.
The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again but expecting different results.

However, just when I thought I had this all figured out, there was the first of at least two major twists and I was thrown (in a good way). I mean, not only (view spoiler)[was this a human-built structure (hide spoiler)] but there were (view spoiler)[actual future humans on the rock with our scientists (hide spoiler)]! And the why was ... equally surprising. *lol* Admittedly, I was a bit disappointed. No, not in the writing or the author's idea itself, but in the fact that (view spoiler)[future humans are capable of doing all this, technologically and biologically, have met and formed treaties with so many alien species(view spoiler)[ but THIS is the problem they need to solve??? *sighs* I guess we can't escape (view spoiler)[our own nature (hide spoiler)]. Thankfully, that was NOT all there was. Like I said: several twists.

So yes, highly interesting turn of events that were packed in writing that was suspenseful from the first to the last page. I didn't care too much for any given character but that often doesn't bother me as I'm more interested in the worldbuilding (tech, history etc). And the author more than delivered on that front! The Ways were gorgeous and detailed and simultaneously still mysterious.

Wonderful book! (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]