Shatterlings are amusing creatures that are found in this novel at the start of which Abigail Gentian splits herself into thousands of living creatures. Shatterlings are actually parts of Abigail that she spread in space. The shatterlings are both male and female in gender and their mission is to keep a watch on the human race all the time. They collect a detailed history of the human civilizations and then when they gather after 200,000 years the share those experiences with each other.
This has been continuing for millions of years and the shatterlings have remained unnoticed and unharmed. This time when the time for meeting comes, two of the shatterlings arrive late and one of them has a robot with her as a guest. For millions of years, there has been no harm to these clones but now they realize that there is someone who has a special hate for these clones and he is going to end them forever.
There are hints that the enemy is present among them and soon he is going to end them all. The legacy of the shatterlings would be wiped out if he succeeds so the clones instead of keeping an eye on the human civilization start a hunt for their enemy.
After the success of Revenger and Revelation Space, Alastair Reynolds creates an even bigger masterpiece here. Narrated by John Lee the book is an ideal thing for any fantasy lover whether he is a ten-year-old boy or a hundred year old man. Unique in the story and quick the book will keep amusing you for many months.