Usurpation

Maybe it was a mistake to read these three books back to back.

This one has interesting ideas in it, but it's very diluted. The theme of bamboo sentience continues in an interesting way, but not that interesting. A bunch of other ideas are also introduced (like intelligent whales) that aren't nearly as interesting. And all of it on the backdrop of some sort of global medical emergency that is solved and zzzzz.... it just didn't grab me.

I really like some aspects of this story and world, but maybe the author has seen it through as far as it can go.