I quite enjoyed this book, it was a little more cosy than I usually go for, but I liked the setting, and the cast of characters. Not a bad first reads book, and a good choice I think. I don't know about the other book that some people are comparing it to, I don't like the author of the other book, and if the main thing it has in common with that book is retired characters, well there are a lot of older people on this planet, and it is good they are featured in books sometimes, it makes a change from all the books featuring young adults, that market is well catered to, so get over yourself if you don't like reading about older people, then don't do it !