I finished this a few days ago, and I have to say, I'm sincerely impressed. Thank you to all the Vanguard writers who wrote such mature, compelling and utterly realized story and characters.
I found the ethical dilemmas presented in this part of the story totally engrossing, and uncomfortably contemporary. Carol Marcus felt pitch perfect too.
And, DM, I honestly 100% understand your music choices looking for inspiration. I'm trying to write my first novel and I've been gravitating towards similar fare.
Great job, truly.