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Odyssey by Jack McDevitt
I have a five-year to-read pile and normally I take books off the oldest end of the pile, but I always read McDevitt's as soon as they come. This is Hutch book, she's at the Academy which is being increasingly defunded by Congress. Some spaceships have seen "moonriders" -- black globes that appear to have communications equipment on them, but not much else -- out near other solar systems, but nobody's been able to communicate with them. The executive of Orion Tours -- space tours out to see stars and monuments left by departed aliens -- proposes a joint Academy-Orion venture to place monitors in space where the moonriders have been seen. This is expected to bring more funding in for both. An unusual group goes out on the monitor-dropping expedition and get moonriders on image, but at the same time, a large asteroid is found to be moving directly toward Orion's Galactic Hotel, which is still being built. Are the moonriders trying to destroy the hotel?
As usual, the book is full of twists and turns (plus a plot twist I didn't foresee, which is unusual), good characters, good plot, and grabs your attention. Highly recommended.
