The first half of this work is of the stuff of great literature. It speaks with eerie accuracy about the inhumane modernity of 2010. While it gets a lot wrong about overpopulation and neglects the centrality of climate change (Marx is right after all), it is nonetheless remarkably prophetic for a book created in 1968. Brunner describes an atmosphere of claustrophobia and numbness with paralysing skill. However, the second half becomes incredibly tiring, the only somewhat interesting central plot is annoyingly cut up every two pages by unrelated worldbuilding incerpts (which may have been intriguing enough for the first 300 pages but become tedious and distracting quickly), and the vulgarity of the violence and the treatment of female characters becomes simply uncomfortable. A pity, because these weaknesses pollute what could have otherwise been a masterwork in the league of 1984, Brave New World or Fahrenheit.