Perhaps not as much as you'd expect. The book largely focuses on the story of the characters rather than the story of what's going on around them. Regardless, it's one of my favorites in the Saga, and if you've ever delved into anthropology before, this book is a [i]real[/i] treat. Many people not used to hardcore Sci-Fi find Primordium to be the slowest of the series. Don't let that deter you though. Primordium is still integral to the universe and the sagaand gives us an up-close look at Halo.