"Publishers Weekly" praised the author's "pithy assessments" and "thoughtful, evenhanded outlook" on polarization. The book aims to be an evenhanded primer on the issues surrounding superhuman intelligence. However, other circuits had different standards, for example, the Third Circuit favored an "evenhanded approach". Stain says it is "probably the most evenhanded and thoroughly documented volume on the topic". Despite the juicy tidbits, the tone is low-key and evenhanded. This may have contributed to his evenhanded treatment of First Nations people in his novels.