Initially I was a bit disappointed by this novel, that by now is regarded a "modern classic". The story is slow to start, and sometimes seem unnecessarily complicated, and also a bit clicheed with regard to some of the transhumanist themes (though that probably wasn't so, back +20 years ago, when it was written). The story does however grow, and improves as it progresses. By and large a great read in the end, but some of its characters are a bit cliche, and while the story is branded as "hard Sci-Fi" and written by an astrophysicist, I wouldn't call it particularly "hard" (though not very "soft" either). Just because there is no FTL travel featured, doesn't automatically make a Sci-Fi "hard". But an enjoyable and interesting story nonetheless.