I've been meaning to read some Powers for a while... I guess I'll keep in ming to stay away from this particular book, because all of the things you mentioned among your reservations would bug me rather a lot, I expect.

The new library we've been forced to seek refuge in with the closure of our regular one has some Cherryh. I remember you rec'd me a couple of things by her in the past, but that was fantasy and they mostly seem to have sci-fi -- what would you say is worth reading as an intro to the author in that genre?