The books are very imaginative. Not always a fan of the prose, and the character development is lacking, but I think this is a great new take on the alien invasion genre that tries to put all of the current theories about extraterrestrials (or lack-thereof) into a very big plot.

Part of the draw of the first book is how much it talks about communist China from an insider perspective. I found those parts the most interesting by far, with some of the more interesting sci-fi ideas emerging toward the end. The next 2 books basically go down a speculative fiction path with the first book's ideas set in motion.

I always felt like the books were a fan fiction of certain blog posts I've read about the Fermi Paradox or the Great Filter. Any self-respecting sci-fi nerd needs to read them, and all 3 of the books. They probably won't wow you in the same way other award-winning authors have, but they should be thought-provoking.