The way this book weaves together the science, the humanity, and with them familiar cultural baggage, it's like going on an adventure without this sense that it's a form of escapism or "could never happen." There's definitely something to be said for reading sci-fi written by people other than white men. I'm looking forward to starting the next book in the trilogy!

An aside, I may never shake the experience of the chapter when they used "the bag." My goodness.