Weber's writing did improve a little bit since writing On Basilisk Station. However, while the infodumping has lessened, the main flaws remain: uneven writing, Mary Sue, viewpoint jumping. The last has even gone worse!
And then there are the clichés. Oh the agony of cliché.

A backwards tech-fearing planet (well, two) of old "Texas" style women hating people.
A mutiny. Please sci-fi space opera writers: stop it with the mutinies already! Find a better plotdevice, m'kay.
A deus ex machina to save the battle.

Still, the story was engaging, even though it felt a bit stale. Maybe I shouldn't read so much sci-fi space opera in succession.