Not as favorable as its predecessor, The Prefect.

We don’t get to see much of Aurora (she actually owes us, but I guess what she learnt in the turbines will be on the next novel), and we find out about this incredible thing the Voi can do, and they never use it! Picture the Second Foundation not using psychohistory. That would have been a much better subject than the adventures in the jungle of the two bland boys. At least Garlin is interesting when he’s preaching against the system.

Dreyfus, Sparver, and Thalia are dragged through the plot by the Voi, instead of actually doing any detective work. They even get told this in their faces by the antagonist; This detracts from the characters and makes them dumb. Granted, the antagonist is in a much more powerful position, but still, have them actually working out something.
Hestia turned out to be a much capable police officer than the heroes from Panoply.

A few loose ends, the primary being that some characters note that their intense hate towards Garlin almost seems like if they knew him from before. That doesn’t get explored further, it’s a lost opportunity.

Insipid, hasted, half-thought. And so very off the usual Revelation Space themes.

Reynold’s characters turn to one liners, stupid answers, and become incapable of thought under duress. Sparver does it here, Khouri does it in a RS novel… Alas, not every character gets to be Sylveste or Hausmann.