"One other thing. Can I get some change to access your pay terminal?"
"You can once I sell you a beer," Joe said. "What'll you have?"
"Strawberry Heineken," said Gun. ( )

Why did I leave this on the shelf for so long? Was it the title? Who knows. It was smart and fun, a nearish future Earth after Three (you can guess what that was) and its aftermath, a world fragmented and run by Disney, fundamentals, and sierras (you can guess what they are). Orbiting earth is the Overworld, heavily damaged by Three and partly taken over by nanobots that exist interdimensionally and have built something called the Tangle. The protagonist is a Ranger, Gunther Ryder, and Rangers are sent out by Disney to harvest the skins of Peteys, vast orbs that appear in threes. Gun needs one more 'kill' to earn a place in the earthy paradise, Pirates of the Universe offered to high up Disney employees at the end of their careers. But Gun, our hero, finds out that his brother is in trouble, that he is on Hold, a big problem given that he can't get his salary. . .

Egregious sexism alert:

I'm giving it 3 1/2 even though I was taken aback early on by a bald statement by Gun that there were no women rangers, not ever, and a dawning realization that during the novel women mostly appear to disrobe into ever tinier underwear or do the old bra through the sleeve trick or whatever. Gun's girlfriend Donna is not a flat character but she doesn't do anything but exist. It started to bum me out after awhile. The 'bot women, called 'gens' can only ask questions, for example. You can't actually converse with them, ask them anything or just talk. Hunh? In fact the more I think about the women in the book the weirder I feel about it. Maybe Bisson thinks he's just playing around? Anyhow, I just don't get it. Benefit of the doubt until I read another. ( )