Oh dear. These *aought* to have been wonderful. They're basically (deliberately) "Nine Princes of Amber by Charlie Stross" and "Fire Upon the Deep by Charlie Stross". I loved "The Atrocity Archives" and would have thought the author would have been a perfect choice for a Zelazny-alike and a Vinge-alike; both are books crying out for a genre, and Stross has the same casual-approach-to-massive-events tone which works well.
But both seemed to set up wonderful universes, but not really excite me as books. I think I will try the sequels and hope they are good.
But both seemed to set up wonderful universes, but not really excite me as books. I think I will try the sequels and hope they are good.