[marcellus23]

The beginning describes the formation of an intelligence and it is indeed very dense. You can figure out what's going on but it takes some slow reading, and probably best to revisit it once you have some more context from later in the book.

The whole book isn't like that. Once you get past that part, as the other commenter said, it gets much easier.

[igor47]

I actually love the beginning of Diaspora, and have recommended just that section to people. I found it beautiful and moving. It's starting to learn that people have to "get past" that section...