Title: Underrated, I think
Review: A good story in which all the many dangling threads are resolved, but without seeming overly tidy about it. As others have pointed out, Vernor Vinge is probably the best point of comparative reference here: the numerous, complex characters (including women); the multiple, intersecting plotlines; and most of all, the contrast between a low-tech, quasi-medieval society and an advanced, space-faring culture. I could have used a bit more of the latter, especially further elaboration of the rogue AI backstory, which was intriguing. (I understand that he picks up some of that thread in his later novel Lady of Mazes.) I definitely can recommend this one, though, and I certainly think Schroeder is a talent worth watching.
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