The book serves to fill in much of the background details of the game, such as locations (including the Citadel), the internal politics of the Council races, and some of the science involved, as well as introducing characters such as David Anderson. A considerable amount of the plot revolves around the galaxy's views on artificial intelligence, as this is a major plot point in the game. It also sets up the game's main villain, Saren Arterius, and how he came to be involved in the events sparked by Sidon.