*Update - re-read 7/4/15* 
 - just as good as it was the first time I read it, except this time it wasn't a surprise. Might be my favorite of the series so far, can't swear to that because I feel like the quality of these are remarkably consistent. But the introduction of Bobbie Draper and Chrisjen Avarasala are both home runs. Their stories in this novel were a real highlight for me. I want them both to have spin-off tales of their own. 
 And of course, Holden and the gang are still the stars here, and they have slipped into a more comfortable situation with one another. This crew is the literary equivalent of Firefly and Holden their Mal Reynolds. Great stuff. I couldn't ask for more. 
 *** 
 9/28/12 
 Man, I've been on such a roll with my book selections lately. I read the first book in this series last year and thought it was okay, but not great. But the book kept getting so much praise, it was up for so many awards, I figured everyone was on crack, but instead of going back and rereading, I decided to just buy the second one and read it and see how much I like that one. 
 Well, slap me silly and call me Sally, because this was my favorite science fiction book I've read in a while, and that's saying a lot, because I just got done with David Brin's masterpiece, Existence, and thought that was the best sci fi book I'd read in several years. This was an entirely different kind of story, much more space opera-ish, even if it all takes place within the solar system. I think it serves as a perfect lesson on how to write a brilliant sci fi novel. 
 Thank you, authors, for giving me this.