The Peregrine, by Poul Anderson

Previously published as Star Ways
Rating: 3
Pages: 184

The Stellar Union is expanding. It pushes into new frontiers, filling its part of the galaxy. Most people live on planets, but a small group has taken to living in space permanently. They call themselves Nomads. The Nomads are relatively small in number; a few dozens of spaceships.

Joachim Henry, captain of the Nomad ship Peregrine, makes an unsettling discovery. Several dozen spaceships have disappeared in one particular region of uncharted space. There is a pattern to the disappearances. It suggests an advanced, secretive, malevolent empire. Joachim convinced his fellow Nomads to support him in investigating.

The Stellar Coordination Service is also interested. The uncharted space is right where the Stellar Union hopes to expand into in the next decades. If there is an enemy, the Union would like to know.

Therefore: Coordination Service agent Trevelyan Micah weasels his way onto the Peregrine and offers his help in the investigation. Joachim accepts his offer of help. Joachim and Trevelyan are aided by Ilaloa, the new wife of another Nomad. Ilaloa has rudimentary powers of telepathy. Together, they manage to locate a planet of the unknown civilization.

The Alori civilization is a kind of paradise. The people live simply, in idyllic planets. The climate and weather are perfect; food grows abundantly. They live in symbiosis with the planet, to the extent of a kind of mental connection. The humans want no part of it; the Alori in turn cannot abide the mechanistic and technological culture of mankind. One or the other must perish.

Overall, it's an interesting enough book, but nothing special. I give it a score of three.