Gunther Sanderson is a young empath from enlightened Largitas, the owner of unique abilities. Mirra Juthani is a vagabond from Chaitra's beggar, a star hitchhiker who makes a living from the energy resources of her own body. Who would have imagined that a chance meeting between Gunther and Mirra in the vicinity of the mysterious Sarcophagus would put two cosmic civilizations on the brink of war, hunters would be knocked off their feet hunting for amazing prey, and scientific luminaries would break their highly organized brains trying to disassemble the miracle piece by piece? “Prodigal Son” "is the fifth novel of the epic "Ecumene", which has long earned the interest and love of readers. “Cosmic Symphony” was written by H. L. Oldie ten years ago, and in “one distant galaxy” a year goes by two—it’s not for nothing that the new novel has the subtitle “Ecumene: Twenty Years Later.” What next? The universe will never be the same.