"Someone whose favourite books are listed as references for this novel and who is the exact target audience for it. For the rest of this, when not distracted"

Agreed. Dune, Hyperion, Starship Troopers, etc are all books I've enjoyed, or in the case of Heinlein, at least made me think, even if I didn't wholly agree with some of his views. This... this is melatonin in text form...

For all the research done, the lack of life experience shows right off the first page. I read this to a friend of mine who has no real interest in scifi outside of films or shows, and even they pointed out the lack of wheeled equipment and the fact she contaminated with her blood. This isn't rocket science, just common sense