Totally worth the buzz. A little irked that I can't go right into the next book (boring logistics with ipods, days off, and traveling) because I'm completely invested in the world setting. 
 As an aside on the audio: at this point, I think I'd happily listen to anything narrated by Nick Podehl. He does a lot of really "guy" books (Carter Finally Gets It, Swim the Fly, Seth Baumgartner's Love Manifesto) and I was a little concerned that he'd bring a little more ... goofiness? to this than it should have, but by the time I was a few chapters in, I completely believed that Todd sounds just like Neil on Freaks & Geeks. (Note: Neil was NOT played by Nick Podehl, but they sound very similar.)