I finished Against a Dark Background earlier this week. A basic adventure space opera with a sympathetic android and a fairly obvious bad guy who is slowly revealed.  It moves quickly and occasionally the settings are interesting but quite often they veer towards the silly/sophomoric. Nuance is present occasionally, but stock emotions and characterization prevail. Technique is interweaving flash backs without clear signals. Less experienced readers will be confused. Aims for noirish despair in tone, occasionally succeeds.