Well, I didn't think it was as bad as the other reviews indicate. I read this before reading Psykosis, and I found it very intriguing without the background. After reading Psykosis, I can see how it represents Baird's conjecture on what would happen to humanity with the profligation of symbiotes. I was rather pleased with the aggressive direction she took and enjoyed the challenge of keeping up with the inferences she expects you to draw. The plot does tend to blur with the speed at which it is written, but overall I thought it was refreshing to see Baird cast away the safety harness of her previous formulae for novels.