Absolutely epic

I can only hope to try to explain how astounding I found this book. The outer space aspect was not very interesting when I read the blurb, but the way it's written is beautiful. The fear and respect different types of people have for it, and the miracle Cal is—it was enthralling. The few parts where Cal is obviously telling his story from the future almost always were heartbreaking. Martha's goal makes me sad, and I hope she's shown that she's wrong. The piety the elder displayed concerns me, because the vibrant qi and the infinity qi seem to always counteract each other. The last (actual) chapter was very worrying, because that type of enemy is a horror untold. The book did have two more chapter headings that weren't chapters or were just blank and a list of links every book in this and related genres are kind enough to include. I really REALLY want more.