ɪn ˌɪntɚzˈoʊn, mˈæt hˈɪlz ɹˈaɪts, "ðə stɹˈɛŋθs ʌv ðɪs bˈʊk lˈaɪ ɪn ɪts ˈoʊn hɪstˈɔːɹɪkəl ɹᵻsˈɜːtʃ dɪsplˈeɪd vˈaɪəɹ ɐ bˌɪblɪəɡɹˈæfɪkəl lˈɪst ʌv ɹˈiːdɪŋ ænd ɪn ɪts dᵻpˈɪkʃən əvən ˈeɪliən ɹˈeɪs ðæt ɑːbdʒˈɛktɪvli sˈiːks tə ɹᵻkˈoːɹd hˈɪstɚɹi, ðɪ ˈæbsəlˌuːt.
In Interzone, Matt Hills writes, "The strengths of this book lie in its own historical research - displayed via a bibliographical list of reading - and in its depiction of an alien race that objectively seeks to record history, the Absolute.