Heaven's Reach: David Brin

Book III of the second Uplift trilogy. By the award winning author of The Postman. The brutal enemy that has pursued them for centuries has arrived. Now the fugitive settlers of Jijo - human and alien - brace for the final confrontation. Their only hope is the Earthship Streaker crewed by uplifted dolphins and commanded by an untested human. Yet more than just the fate of Jijo hangs in the balance. Streaker carries a cargo of ancient artifacts that may unlock the secret of those who first brought intelligent life to the Galaxies. Many believe a dire prophecy has come to pass: an age of terrifying changes that could end Galactic civilisation. As dozens of white dwarf stars stand ready to explode, the survival of sentient life in the Universe rests on the most improbable dream - that age old antagonists of different races can recognise the unity of consciousness. Cover art by Jim Burns.