Helpful Score: 1
This was a really fascinating book. Stross has managed to create a setting that looks back at 1950s to 1990s culture from the perspective of far-future humanity. That juxtaposition of world views makes for a rich set of conflicts, and the book really shines when those conflicts are the subject at hand. Intertwined with that is mixed a plot of the aftereffects of a viral-based information war actually set in that far-future humanity.
The culture shock portions of the novel are by far the best. Characterization is wonderful, and there is lots of humor to be had in those crazy things historical humans used to do. The war stuff was not nearly as good.
Unfortunately, that really hurts the end of the book, where the two plots twist together. You get the feeling Stross may have felt the same way, because the ending seems very rushed.
4 of 5 stars.
The culture shock portions of the novel are by far the best. Characterization is wonderful, and there is lots of humor to be had in those crazy things historical humans used to do. The war stuff was not nearly as good.
Unfortunately, that really hurts the end of the book, where the two plots twist together. You get the feeling Stross may have felt the same way, because the ending seems very rushed.
4 of 5 stars.
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