I've loved this series for the most part, but there's been a couple clunkers and this is the worst of those. Sterling's works are always full of countless detailed descriptions, but here it's too much. It's almost like he cares more about describing a ship or clothes then moving a plot along. 80% of this book is filler- I could tell you in a couple paragraphs what actually happens. The new story arc has promise, even if it appears to possibly be a repeat of the last story arc just with different characters and settings. This installment has the feel of a book written just to keep the annual releases on track and the publisher off his back. If condensed and stripped of so many pointless descriptions, it would've made a great first quarter of a real book. Stop wasting my time and money Sterling, let's get on with it.