This was my first Xuya story, and it worked well as an introduction to the universe. While I wasn't particularly taken by this story, I'm super curious about the universe more broadly. Counting that as a win.
The second one in this universe. Again a three for me, which would have been a 4 but the ending ruined it. This time, the setting was more integrated into the story and there was actual speculation as to how the future setting would affect the future society. There was a nice build up with two competing plot lines and then .. fizzle out. Deus ex machina to no actual resolution of one of the plot lines. Shame.
