Good fences, said the poet, make good neighbors -- and interstellar distances made very good fences. Or so we thought....

Earth and its interstellar neighbors have been in radio contact for a century and a half. A vigorous commerce in intellectual property hasaccelerated technical progress for all the species involved. Ideas,riding on radio waves, routinely cross interstellar space -- almost like neighbors chatting over the interstellar back fence. But there is a way over, or under, or around, almost any fence. Sooner or later, when weleast expect it, the neighbors, friendly or otherwise, are going to pay a call....

InterstellarNet: New Order chronicles the startling events of Second Contact, upfront and personal, as humanity discovers that meeting aliens face to face is very different -- and a lot more dangerous -- than sending andreceiving messages.

"Edward Lerner takes us from a first SETIdetection to full scale interstellar net economics, with thrills alongthe way. No one had thought through what a working interstellar netwould be like. Lerner has the professional heft to make sense of it,tell a story, and make us care. Good stuff, told in clear, quick prose. A groundbreaking job!"
-- Gregory Benford, author of Timescape (on InterstellarNet" Origins)