Not bad. Not great. This is from an experienced author who writes quite well. This one didn't click with me, and it's probably not his best work. However, this will probably work for many sci-fi fans.

Thanks very much for the review copy!!

Bennett's writing keeps on captivated until the conclusion of the book. The plot flows quickly and keeps your interest.

"Arachne's Crime" is a meditation on empathy, remorse, regret, guilt and legal liability. The ship's AI fires on a seemingly inert obstacle in the flightpath, blowing apart what turns out to be a large habitat that uses technologies that the AI did not recognize, resulting in a massive loss of life of an interstellar race. The aliens are enraged and demand justice. The human crew's views swivel around. While everyone is horrified, what else should they feel? They were all in hibernation and had no input into the AI's decision. They had not programmed the AI. There was no malicious intention. The AI screwed up, horribly, but it's an AI.

The aliens act too much like humans. The humans think of sex at the most inappropriate times. The strength of emotions among the humans is odd, given a common Anglo-Saxon law tradition that seems to prevail among them. Remorse? Regret? Guilt? Really?