I love the "Big Dumb Object" trope, or perhaps even subgenre, of science fiction, so the premise of this novel intrigued me. Unfortunately, the execution was something of a letdown. The protagonists were given little to do but passively marvel at the immensity of the eponymous structure, lament its seemingly inevitable destruction, and rejoice in the literal Deus Ex Machina ending. The extremely optimistic afterward detailing the scientific aspirations of the authors seemed out of keeping with the fatalistic tone of the novel. ( )