In a society which is dominated by state religion and a class system, we are presented with a well thought-out story of Imperial law versus Ecclesiarchal law, wherein Shira Calpurnia is more of a side character used to deliver the story. This fact does not detract from the overall enjoyment, though. We can see aristocracy acting at its worst, in hereditary intrigues and inter-ship politics. Besides that, the novel provides us with some nice insights into the Adeptus Mechanicus and the dangers of warp travel and how it affects the average human being.