The Children of the Sky

The third in the Zones of Thought series. The value of lightspeed and therefore intelligence increases from the galactic center outward. In the Beyond a powerful nasty called the Blight has arisen and is pursuing a group of humans. Then escape to the Slow Zones onto Tines World populated by canine packs that are intelligent when in pack form.

A neat idea but marred by unnecessary sub-plots with manufactured conflicts and paper-thin subsiduary characters. Could do with 140 pages lopped off.