A strange pulsating star has long attracted the attention of the communities of Human Space, and finally two of them - the interstellar civilization of space traders Zheng He and the totalitarian civilization of Avral - have reached the ON system, which lights up for thirty-five years and then goes out, plunging its only planet into an icy sleep for a quarter of a millennium. However, the planet is inhabited and is on the verge of a technological breakthrough. And people vitally need contact with the non-humanoid race of arachnids - for the sake of their own survival and gaining freedom... "Depth in the Sky" - a truly universal drama of courage, self-knowledge and the redemptive power of love - was appreciated by both critics and readers as a brilliant continuation of "The Flame Above abyss. The novel was nominated for a Nebula Award in 1999, won a Prometheus Award the same year, and was awarded a Hugo Award in 2000.