Let me start by saying that I feel like an idiot after reading this book. And that is because I really don't know why I waited so long before buying the book and then let it collect dust on my bookshelf. If there is not much of a giveaway on the back cover, I should have let "Debatable Space" be a better guide of what to expect from this author. Philip Palmer is a professional and very talented writer, there is no doubt about this. His stories and characters are blending drama, action, sarcasm, sex, violence, and humor in an alien environment with literary techniques that I have only found in Klaus Mann more successful before. If some of the details seem a little naive at times, there are still plenty of refreshing and interesting layers in the story and details to entertain the reader. The universe of "Red Claw" is not a friendly one, but it is well worth a visit.