Sci-fi and Heroic Fantasy discussion

With the recent transit of the Sun by Mercury, I was reminded of this book.

Has anyone else read it? What did you think?

I tend to describe it as "very Japanese." I thought the combination of completely mundane space sciences with a hyper advanced capabilities made for a fascinatingly dull alien. Dull in that they don't interact with the story... really effectively portraying humans as the ants of their galaxy.

No, but it does sound rather dull...:o-