This book shared pretty much all of the issues that made book 3 such a terrible book. Though muted to the point it was tolerable. Tribalism, incomprehensible stupidity and a generally insulting attitude regarding everything human. But again it was muted to the point it was tolerable. The real problem I had with this book was just how disappointing it was. I was hoping that the traveler ships would serve for some interesting plot lines pushing earth onto a unique technological development path and onto the political scene. Instead the ships were squandered by earth in an act of extreme incomprehensible stupidity. And instead the story seems to be pushing earth on a rather uninteresting developmental course meant to emphasize the general incompetency of Earthlings.