Proxima

Proxima is the first book in the "Proxima" series, and it introduces the main characters and the initial premise of humanity's interstellar expansion. While it sets up a larger narrative, it offers a self-contained story arc for its primary plot.

Proxima is part of Stephen Baxter's Xeelee Sequence, a vast future history that explores humanity's place in a universe dominated by ancient and powerful alien species. While it can be read independently, it shares thematic elements and a grand scope with other books in this interconnected universe.