After a couple of centuries of listening, Earth has finally detected an object that might be natural--just another rogue asteroid--but a signal that is clearly artificial. It's the Western Hemisphere Union that has detected the signal, but they're too bankrupt and exhausted to mount an expedition on their own. Reluctantly, they partner with the European Federation.

After a couple of centuries of listening, Earth has finally detected an object that might be natural--just another rogue asteroid--but a signal that is clearly artificial. It's the Western Hemisphere Union that has detected the signal, but they're too bankrupt and exhausted to mount an expedition on their own. Reluctantly, they partner with the European Federation.The very recent invention of the stargate gives the expedition a boost on the way--the first stargate, in orbit around Earth, and the second, in the outer reaches of the solar system, were ready for their first serious test, and EASS Galileo is ready to go. Changes are made to put a science team aboard, and a politically connected captain now that it's likely to be a First Contact mission. There are some major personal and political conflicts built in because of joint nature of the mission, but they're all professionals and (mostly) serious about the mission.

Things get ramped up a bit more when a few, two of the crew and one of the scientists, not naturally inclined to trust each other, discover there's been a last-minute addition to the equipment that might make first contact even more dangerous.

When they reach their destination, and discover a colony sleeper ship with a starbridge in orbit around it, the mystery gets deeper and deeper. Why build a sleeper ship if you have starbridge technology?

Recommended.

I borrowed this book from a friend. ( )

http://speculiction.blogspot.co.uk/2017/09/review-of-spindrift-by-allen-steele.h... ( )

Not as good as the "real" Coyote books. It'll get you by between other novels. ( )

Spindrift wasa wonderful novel from start to finish. It is an execllant addition to the Coyote Universe. This is the story of man's 1st encounter with another space faring culture. The choices that Allen Steele has his characters make seem natural, and the consequences that stem from them realalistic. I can only hope when the day comes that we have our 1st contact situation we don't make the same choices. This story is worth reading. ( )

Another great Steele book. SciFi defining first contact...wonder if it will really happen this way? ( )