What I enjoy about this series is how each species seem to become more and more complex with each passing book. It's slow going, but there's definite progression with both thought and actions--each character is becoming a little bit deeper and it's not out of the blue, just a gradual descent that seems perfectly normal. And I appreciate that in books.

At the same time, it's still wordy. The book is still feeling very long and dense, and not all that much seems to actually happen. You get little jumps in progress, but then it slows to a crawl, and then it stagnates for a little bit, and then it's kick started once again. It's not a book, a series, where you see gunfights and explosions happening everywhere. It's quieter and more chaotic than that. There is more of a mess when politics and people get tangled up.

I do like how Shan's relationships with everyone is constantly evolving. Her bonds to other people never seem to level out--they're always shifting and sometimes a little bit stronger, sometimes not as strong. It feels real and fluid.

All in all, 3 stars.