"I have a lot of thoughts about this book that are neither good nor bad -- but rather thoughts about what the book is and what it isn't, and who might enjoy it. I'll share them for that specific reason...so that people who might like it can find it.

Subjectively, let me say up front that I quite enjoyed it. The character is compelling, and Cameron gets tension out of the smallest things in a way that most authors can't. So even when not much was happening, I found myself really wanting to keep going.

First off, this is much more military SF than space opera. Sure, it's not technically military, but the tropes are there. There are a lot of training sequences, and we get a lot of day in the life of person aboard a ship sequences. Also, there's a lot of navy jargon, traditions, and interactions (which are really, really well done, BTW. So if you like military SF with realistic interactions, I highly recommend this book.)

The economic/political system is a little cringy for me. I feel like it tries to position itself as beyond capitalism, but you've got people of privilege, including the main character, using their government positions to enrich themselves. And the book passes this off not only as the way things are, but as a positive thing, I feel? I'm not sure. It's done well and makes sense, and it doesn't make me dislike the main character (who is eminently likeable) but when I think about it, I'm like mad at myself for liking it, if that makes sense.

The world building is really, really good. The way that space travel works and the restrictions on it, and how the human part of the galaxy has evolved based on that, is really well thought out and makes total sense.

The ending felt really rushed. Like with 5% of the book to go, I was staring at it like...there's no way this can end. On the positive side of that, it left me wanting more. On the negative side, as I said, it feels rushed. I don't want to post spoilers, but there are major, major things that appear to happen and then with just a few pages left we find 'oh, yeah, those things didn't happen.' And there's no end. This is one of those book ones that doesn't try to give you a satisfying ending, but more of a waypoint on the way into the next book."