"[b] Humanity tried to conquer the stars and failed. Then it was time to try again[/b], on Destiny. But even as the new colony was taking hold, the settlers were in revolt against one another. While some stayed on the new planet with what equipment they could keep, others fled back to the stars. [b]Now the settlements are falling into decay, and the old technology is breaking down[/b]. Spiraltown is better off than most, and Jeremy Bloocher is lucky that he will someday head the family farm there. But there is trouble, Jeremy must flee, and neither he nor Destiny will ever be the same." "On the planet Destiny, which has been settled by Earth colonists, Jemmy Bloocher lives in Spiral Town at the far end of the peninsula. After accidentally killing a man from one of the caravans that supply trade goods and the essential potassium-rich speckles, Jemmy flees down the road into the unknown, assuming new identities to avoid capture for 27 years. Curious about what happened to a second landing spaceship, Jemmy traces its route 200 years after it first landed. He discovers what really befell the ship, that there are other towns along the road Spiral Town residents never knew about, and the secret of speckles. This realistic tale of power, deceit, adventure, and awakening by Hugo and Nebula Award winner Niven is highly recommended for sf collections." -from Amazon.com with parts that are significant, in my opinion, to Destiny in bold