I am so glad I'm not the only person who hated Orleans. (Her earlier novel, Flygirl, is cheerful and uplifting and not at all grimdark, so in addition to all the other problems I was very surprised by Orleans's tone.)

I think Infidel is better than God's War but that Rapture backslides; if you're not in love with the series, you might read book 2 and then stop there.