In a culture where psionics is an accepted talent, available to all with high enough potential, the very fabric of society is changed. Those with the talent are naturally the elite; those without are the proletariat. Such a society can naturally evolve to oppress the masses. but a psionic society also allows perfect communication, and can produce a better society for everyone. The Zhodani, humans who discovered and adopted psionics early in their history, had both choices, and took a little of each. The result is a psionic society where everyone is happy and content, because psionic re-education ensures the discontent are found and shown the error of their ways.

This book describes in detail the Zhodani, their homeworld, and starfaring society.