I need to compare intra-book year dates because this one started out a bit confusing. You end the last book with Mars doing it's dance and then you are back at what I can only guess is after [b:Queen of Angels|410766|Queen of Angels (Queen of Angels, #1)|Greg Bear|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1387171351s/410766.jpg|4272]--which...is just a tad confusing.

Let's abstract then and just dove-tail it behind book #1. Yay, makes a bunch more sense. It's been a little time but not a lot and we rejoin Choy, Martain, Jill and new cast members. We return to a world in confusion and something dark unfurling the human condition that was thought to be truly conditioned.

Once again we dive into the shady realm of humanity, it's goals, it's desires, fabrications, truths, perceptions, and more.

As an aside I think this entire series would make a great 3+ year television series. QoA #3 would be a great mini-movie segway tucked in there. Otherwise I felt episodic shows as I read most of these books that would translate very easily. Most of what is envisioned is person-to-person relationships and psyche dives. Not a huge 'future-tek' 3d investment needed. Random digression I agree, but thought I'd share.

So! A lot of energy to start, something to go wrong, something going wrong, thinkers getting lost thinking, good-ol-boys both high level and low level types trying to 'preserve' their spaces through all sorts of in the end, idiocy, but how it is wrought is deep enough to give you understanding. However, like Bear does with most of his books not deep enough to give you a rock solid foundation. You get enough to get by, maybe a pinch more on some tougher concepts and then that's all you need--let's 'roll that beautiful bean footage.'

I think we are done here though. The characters feel at rest. The story has an end. The world has both its past and its future to create but that will not be done here. If you want another good novel and you've traveled this far I think you'll enjoy it. I would however ponder stuffing this in behind the first book if you want more continuity of story. FWIW.