Vortex

A disappointing end. There are two strands - one in the near-future decades after the Spin had stopping blocking the view of stars, and another where two of the characters from the previous book passed through a time gate 10000 years into the future. One character is a main character in the future strand and a minor part of the near-future strand. One of the near-future characters is neurodiverse and writes detailed notes about the future, and a policeman asks a social worker to look after him and read his notes. The notes read by the social worker also cover how the character meets the main future character, but towards the end of the book the notes diverge from the book's "reality".

This could be seen as a book about how organised religions and politics based on demagogues lead people to work against their own interests.

Interesting book - aliens (who never reveal themselves) cover the Earth in something that stops the view of space from the ground and makes time pass much more slowly on Earth than the rest of the Universe. The book follows two siblings from a rich and influential family and their childhood friend.