"The guilt lingered, even so. Ghosts were imaginary, but hauntings were real."

Well, I didn't cry at this one, even though at the funeral I wanted to. It's amazing to me how Chambers just keeps piling people on people, building up history and widening the scope of her universe in each novel.

"Make sure people remember that a closed system is a closed system even when you can’t see the edges."

By the halfway point, I was totally hooked - being a little uncertain from the start made the joy all the sweeter, watching the records of these Spaceborn Few unfold. Morality stories, inter-species exchanges, appreciating what you have and who you are, moving on, letting go, getting old, growing up. It's all here, skillfully blended to provide a vivid, harmonious glimpse into a galaxy of possibilities and variety.

Very much worth buying if the other two appealed in the slightest, and to be re-read one day as a whole trilogy, until more comes to engage, excite and contemplate in years to come. I hope!