And Shall Machines Surrender subtly touches on the machine vs human power struggle: the question of free will and the moral conundrum posed by the very existence of autonomous AI. It also addresses the fallacy of constructing a utopia within a tightly regulated system: whether perceived harmony is worth the restrictions placed on an individual's agency and identity: how far is going too far in order to maintain that accord?

The worldbuilding is spectacularly vivid and the plot is equally fascinating: Orfea and Krissana's dynamic is fire and I demand a prequel of their time in the Armada. All in all, a delightful and enjoyable read. I highly recommend it.