I'd read Wetware but didn't realize there were 2 other books between that and this, so it's possible I missed something from skipping those. That said, overall it was an interesting look at a possible high tech future, with the (now) fairly usual gritty cyberpunk feel of drugs, decay, and partial anarchy. Basic theme: aliens contact earth, give everyone a way to create absolutely anything they want, chaos ensues. The characters were ok, the world was interesting, but it felt like the details and consequences of the technology could have been improved; seemed a bit superficial and shallow.