It is an expansion to Starforged, and primarily uses the rules and procedures from Starforged. So, familiarity with Starforged or access to the rulebook is assumed.
You don't have to read hundreds of pages of material, since the core rules for Starforged take up about 70 pages and the rest is additional guidance, options, and reference materials (such as random tables). However, if you're looking for a light, jump in and play experience, there might be games that are better suited to your preferences.