This is the second installment of the Takashi Kovacs novels; a series of misanthropic cyberpunk novels that involve an easy exchange of bodies (sleeves) so long at their cortical stacks (a constructed cylinder in the back of the sleeve's head that contain the memories and personality of an individual) remains intact.

As much of a detective novel as the first installment was (Altered Carbon), this one strays far from that genre. This is, more or less, a mercenary plotline with a smattering of the author's feelings towards corporate-sponsored wars and who truly benefits from the mass-murder of innocent civilians.

In addition, there is a wormhole gate involved that was originally built by an extinct Martian race.

Anyway, reading this book did not get me hooked as Altered Carbon did. In fact, I felt it took too long to build up after the pacing of Altered Carbon kept me very much involved. But, I kept at it and actually started to enjoy the book more as I got to know the supporting characters more.

The book does leave the reader with a small clue as to something much larger going on…a possible lie that Kovacs have been telling everyone and a truth that he has been keeping from the reader… That has me intrigued. With that in mind, I am willing to finish this series sooner than later.