* Reynolds has matured his long universe, so it is searched, complex, argued.
* Characters have their personality, their own identity.
* We travel ... it's the least we can say as much over time as space.
* The author does not lack imagination! It's impressive.
Cons:
* A (very) big downside on access to understanding: how to Dune, would have required a glossary to find it cleanly. There, nothing. And it's hard. We sometimes get the impression that the author wrote for himself regardless of his reader ...
* Excess imagination sometimes turns disorder: the "too much is too much" is regularly invited during these 900 pages.
Appraisal:
* I bought still the second volume for the imagination Reynolds impressed me.
* With explanations, this first opus would have convinced me otherwise, because there is an obvious talent in this book.
Recommend or not?
* This is the question ... I would like to say yes. But for "regulars". SF Start by that is never open a book of SF then.