I don't get the hype. At all. And I know I won't be reading anything else from the author because we didn't click at all.

Characters weren't much developed. They may be diverse, as the blurb on GR says, but their diversity doesn't show much in the story, they are just described as being diverse. The story takes place over several years yet they don't change. For astronauts/scientists, they are quite naive and idealistic. There is nothing wrong with being idealistic as long as you keep your feet on the ground and I missed that part in the book. Especially the scene where they

Spoiler

have to kill an animal and they have a mental breakdown because of it... Dude, grow up.

I couldn't care less about them. Also, from the GR blurb, I assumed that their somaforming would play a bigger role than it did. Pity.

There were many things in the book that didn't make sense. Especially the ending.

Spoiler

If you hibernate yourself and tell the computer to wake you up only if it gets the message from the Earth, you a) have to believe the Earth receives your message and b) their message reaches you. And if you know the Earth doesn't communicate right now, all the satellites are dead, etc., how the hell could you believe they receive your message? What is the probability of it happening? You send it, it travels 14 years, they miss it, you are dead. Who would think this is a good idea?

It's a short book yet I was impatiently waiting for it to be over. Not a good sign.