Back t0 the Cherryh re-read after a few diversions. Again, this is a book I think I first read in the 1980's and not read again since the 1990's. It left strong impressions then but as I was juvenile, my impressions now are different.
There were depths to this that I had never fathomed or forgotten if I had fathomed in the past. I am struck when reading this that often Cherryh is talking about how, when her future society is a world of technical wonder, there are still haves and have nots.
This one is a tale of someone just hanging on. What they will do to hold on to their ship after a horrible event kills all his family (in this world, merchant ships are family owned and run). This is the have not.
The haves are the biggest and newest merchant ship around but they have a different problem, too many children and not enough jobs on ship for them.
How these two worlds collide is the engine of this story. In a way, it is a microscopic examination of one aspect of the political economy of the world the author has built and a fascinating one at that.
I thoroughly enjoyed this on this re-read I must say. A real page turner coming in at a strong 4.5 rating from me making it a definite recommend.