For those who love stories driven by descriptions of ferocious combat against great odds, The Mirrored Heavens is likely a success. The work also evokes some of the best of cyberpunk. It isn't nearly as strong from other perspectives, though.

The characters are stiff and somewhat one-sided with their penchant for death and destruction. We see little of how the detailed future Williams has affected them other than in their official roles. Instead, that future often tends to be simply background and transition pieces for their battle royales. In addition, some of the lead characters occasionally speak in almost comic book terms with ponderous remarks like "Next stop: Armageddon."

Undoubtedly, the world of The Mirrored Heavens is vividly imagined. It is also explored in greater detail on the book's website. Still, some of that wealth of information might have come in handy as background in the book itself. For example, a minor role player is the Jaguars, a terrorist organization in South America. It makes appearances here and there but is never really explored.

Finally, the infighting among and conspiratorial machinations of the various political and military players, as well as the individual characters, is convoluted. Often leaving the reader uncertain as to which side anybody is on or their ultimate goals, there are just too many wheels within wheels in the various plots and counterplots.

Still, given his splendid world creation, Williams has the ingredients for a long run of novels. He may reach a broader audience expanding the scope beyond the first-person shooter feel. Even if he sticks with nonstop action, there's little doubt the state of the world and politics will be able to keep him fully supplied with potential storylines for his future Earth.