Douglas's Center of Gravity extends the Star Carrier saga with all the hallmarks of classic space opera: high-stakes political intrigue on Earth, massive fleet engagements, relativistic combat rendered with cinematic flair, enigmatic alien species, and technologies designed to evoke awe. The narrative momentum is strong, the characters remain engaging, and the escalating conflicts have a satisfying dramatic rhythm.
Still, the physics in the story often falters. Singularity encounters omit any serious consideration of tidal forces. The treatment of relativistic energies—whether in blue-shifted particle beams or exotic "relativistic sand" munitions—lacks rigor. The frequency of collisions among vessels in interstellar space pushes credibility as well. These flaws undermine some of the scientific verisimilitude, though they never entirely fracture the operatic sweep of the story.
Despite the lapses in astrophysical modeling, the novel succeeds as exhilarating spectacle and remains deeply enjoyable. 4/5
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