The first few pages of Vagabonds set up interesting political, financial, and class dynamics. The premise, that Martians are returning to Earth to build a better relationship between the two planets, is interesting; I find the look at small groups being used as test pilots within a social experiment to be intriguing. The beginning of this book reminds me of Supernova Era but also the Titanic in space (without a crash). It's sweeping in its scope but also immediately thoughtful.