It’s not a terrible story, but it’s not very good. The characters are fairly two-dimensional and largely annoying. I have to hear the male leads’ opinions on the attractiveness of various women whether it is relevant or not. It’s not every woman, but it is the first woman who is only a voice on the radio. I really didn’t need to know that the main character thinks she’s kinda dumpy but likes her anyway. I don’t feel any attachment to any of the characters and actively disliked some of the main ones.
The book tries to explore difficult decisions, but doesn’t really explore them beyond stating how difficult they are and then making them moot. There is constant “tell, don’t show” with world building that serves as little more than a painted backdrop.
The Christian elements aren’t overbearing, but they do feel out of place and just as superficial as the rest of the ideas. They could be removed and it wouldn’t impact the story and characters at all. There are a few weird comments about the virtues of making babies to carry on the fight when there is also apparently a population and food problem? Again, not explored at all.
The whole story just has I guess you could say a lack of urgency. Characters wander around chatting with each other when just a chapter ago there was a super important, urgent task that they were working on.
Also, early on two characters drop down an elevator shaft into a flooded parking deck…and don’t break every bone in their bodies when they splash into 10 feet of water at terminal velocity. I had to suspend my disbelief a lot.
Edit: I thought about this more and I think what bothers me about the religiosity is that the characters talk about faith, but there is no evidence of their faith through their behaviors. By this I mean that there is no mention of how their faith manifests in their society, culture, or values. There are no religious leaders. There are no disagreements on matters of doctrine or religious practice. There are no rituals or prayers. There are no churches. I can’t help but wonder whether the author thinks that faith is some universal constant that doesn’t interact with culture or setting, which is just incredible superficial and naive.