First in a tetralogy. As such, this is very much "here are the main characters, here is the situation" but the star-faring is for volume 2. They're the crew of the Starfarer so technically the title is not wrong. It's set in the same universe as her young adult novel Barbary. There's no character overlap but both involvethe same O'Neill-style structure and a passing reference is made to the plot of Barbary.

I didn't buy this years ago because the packaging and acknowledgments made it seem like she was doing a variant of her Star Trek adventures in her own universe. That's doing it a disservice. This has more in common with Slonczewski's A Door into Ocean. Women of science dominate the story. It is not as black-and-white as Door -- while all the villains and dupes of villains are male, there are good males as well. Sexism seems, in this book at least, to be mostly a thing of the past -- not distant past, but about two generations back.

The focus is on the huge space station cum star ship, how it's constructed, what it's like to live on it, and the community that is forming on it, waiting for their chance to catch a ride on a wandering cosmic string to another star system. Sitting somewhat awkwardly in this not-so-far future is that a new race of altered ocean-dwelling humans has been created and been around long enough to have their own culture. This part feels like Star Trek -- we need an alien on the crew so shoehorn one in. It made more sense on Star Trek.

Recommended for the world-building and quiet feminism, with a caveat that very little happens in this first volume. ( )

Really well executed social, some lovely ideas, and overall solid writing. ( )

This was slower than I expected, but I think that’s a factor of its age and the expectations of the time. There’s a lot of set-up—how they’ve designed the ship and why, who the cast is and what drives them, discussions of the political situation, and so on. It’s sort of a mix between character drama and the Big Dumb Object novel, but there’s also a side plot with some humans artificially adapted to ocean life. Lots of cool science and thinking through that science, and I liked a lot of the characters, but it never felt like the plot had much momentum? Plus it felt very much like McIntyre was constantly setting the sequel.

6/10 ( )

Academic politics IN SPACE!
Between the soviet politics and the genetically engineered people who swim with whales I was worried this would turn out to be that very 80s sort of sci fi book, but it did not. ( )

First in a series of 4.
It could be humanity's most glorious accomplishment - an interstellar ship designed for a peaceful scientific mission of exploration and searching for sentient life elsewhere in the universe.
Unfortunately, international politics being as you might expect, not everything is running as smoothly as the researchers might wish - as a matter of fact, some countries have pulled out their personnel, funding to the ship has been cut, and there are plans afoot to scuttle the whole mission, arm the ship with nuclear devices and use it as an orbiting weapons platform, never to leave our solar system.
Against this background, the book focuses more on interpersonal relationships and politics than on action - we get to know Victoria, Satoshi and Stephen Thomas - partners in a multiethnic group marriage that old-timers find shocking and young folks feel is old-fashioned. Theoretical alien-contact specialist J.D. and her genetically altered 'diver' friend Zev. Elderly ex-General Cherenkov - former hero or terrorist? And possibly, the screwdriver in the works - undercover agent and militarist Griffith...

Good, but the book ends leaving you feeling like it's all a set-up for events yet to come... luckily I've got the next book! ( )