I jumped from Prador Moon to Shadow of the Scorpion, still unsure if I'm fully bought into the Polity Universe enough to read another 10+ novels. This introduction to Agent Cormac is... fine. At its heart is an espionage thriller that happens to be set in the future. Unlike Prador Moon, the galactic scale conflict is at an end and has been replaced with something like Jack Ryan... in space!

Improving on the first book, there is a tight focus on Cormac that introduces the Polity and its ESC organs at a steady pace. There are a number of technologies that Neal Asher builds into the foundation of the Polity which are slowly explained, and knowing these things allows us to keep up with the thriller when the science-fiction elements are critical to the plot. To be perfectly honest, this is a better introduction to the Polity Universe than the previous novel.

However, I've read a lot of thrillers and this is thoroughly in the mediocre camp. There is no sense of mystery and the stakes are never well-expressed (or grounded in things you care about). Cormac is a bore and aside from being excellent at his job, doesn't really stand out from generic soldier-guy. I would suggest the Murderbot Diaries as an example of how personality can really elevate a novel, or refer you to something like Jack Ryan for the thriller-side.

In summary - it's fine. But there's better out there.