This was suggested to me by one of my GR friends, and I must agree that it was very intriguing. Two very unique societies are presented, and a few characters are followed as they migrate from one to the other. In the process, they partake of the unusual (to me) sexual practices found in each environment. And oh my, the toys! The authors are very inventive, considering that they don't use electronics - everything is based on mechanical or hydraulic power. In most cases, the sex is very hot, though I did feel distances from the scenes on occasion.
The language/vocabulary is extremely creative, with adjectives that may not exist in your dictionary (I didn't check). Very colorful and descriptive, slightly distracting but clever too.
While it's noted that this is the first of two or three books, the ending doesn't really happen at a transition point. There is a lot of set up, but the separate stories are not well integrated. I'm more confused than I am interested to read more.