Ellen May Mgwethu is a pithy character, while Malley is a fascinating cross between Albert Einstein and Dwight Eisenhower. The story is as unexpected as it is thought-provoking, although those new to MacLeod's playground may find themselves a bit lost, and pragmatics may have a bit of a problem swallowing his idea of a universe. MacLeod has spun a complicated society, in some senses rich, in others confusing. Earth is nanotech compliant. People thrive in huge, living buildings that are entirely self-sufficient.
Pollution is a word without corporeal example.
It's an appealing concept, a good place to live. On the flip side of the universe-creation coin, Earthlings exist without an economy. Folks take what they want, when they want, and presumably return it as needed. While that may work with backpacks and Swiss Army knives, the concept gets fuzzy when it's applied to global airlines and spaceports. None of these problems is intrinsically damning.