With people from the Undercity joining the Raylicon track and field team, Bhajaan has added assistant coach to her work as a private investigator and her unofficial role as the government's liaison with the Undercity. Competing in the Interstellar Games alongside other teams from their own Skolian Imperialate, Earth's planets, and the horrible Euban empire (aka The Traders) highlights new characters and fresh storylines. In the background Bhaj is investigating a corporate takeover for Vaj Majda. At first it seems unimportant but then Bhaj starts uncovering startling secrets that once again emphasize that the Undercity, City of Cries, and the noble houses of Raylicon are all deeply intertwined no matter how much they all deny it.

I've liked Bhajaan and the Undercity since we first met them, but I really like getting to know these new characters. It was also a different perspective of Earth and the Eubans in a "casual" setting. This series is chronologically just before any of the other books of the Skolian Imperialate so the politics are bit different and focus more on specific cultural differences. Half of Raylicon's new athletes are empaths and not even Bhaj's warnings can prepare them for meeting an Aristo from Euban who is hardwired to experience great pleasure from the pain and suffering of empaths or the weird ideas the Earthers have about gender and sports. Plus, we finally see proof that Vaj Majda might actually be human, and a decent human at that!

Overall, the mix of familiar and new works well and on Audible both story and Morgan Hallet's narration have a full five stars.