Real edge of the seat type stuff in this book, very hard to put down. Bit of a different sort of book compared, being more of a thriller, but very well done, and portrays well how good and bad both humans and AI can be in the future. We also get to see inside the head as such of more of our protagonists, rounding them out nicely and giving us a good understanding of their motivations etc. Built up to a strong, emotional finish. Certainly thanks to being a thriller, darker in tone than others, but isn't bad for doing so.
I think it shows the depth and breadth of the Aeon 14 universe well, that can support all the different sorts of stories that it does, helps make it feel more real to me. A bit like Forgotten Realms vs Dragonlance - Forgotten Realms has many different sorts of stories which I find helps flesh it out well, to make it more real, whereas Dragonlance doesn't seem to have that so much, feels a lot smaller and less real as a result. Aeon 14 very much falls into the Forgotten Realms type area.