Anybody who thinks, misguidedly, that Star Trek fiction is fluff ought to read this. Described as "Star Trek meets the West Wing," this is a fascinating political novel that has some parallels to draw with our own times and a message surely of "nothing new under the sun." It is a tubby book, and if you are hoping for a breathless political thriller a la 24, then you will have to go on wanting. But political machinations make for fine reading too and with DeCandido, you are in safe hands. I particularly liked the way various different beings were seen settling down to watch Illuminating The City of Light and following the various debates. The character of the president and a few others get thoroughly put through their paces and emerge as fascinating, well-rounded people. If you were disappointed at the TV series "Enterprise," then you will no doubt be wondering, as am I, why this sort of story set during the same post-war period wasn’t the sort of thing they should have made instead. Intelligent, modern SF.