All of Egan's books make me feel stupid, but in the best possible way :) I always feel I'm getting half the picture but would need a PhD in whatever speciality

All of Egan's books make me feel stupid, but in the best possible way :) I always feel I'm getting half the picture but would need a PhD in whatever speciality he's focussing on in this book to get the whole thing, yet thoroughly enjoy every book all the same. Permutation City is something of a different take on the artificial mind to Diaspora. Schild's Ladder deals also has the artificial mind theme, perhaps a bit closer to Diaspora, but with it's own take again.