Bypass Gemini

I had trouble getting into this story. It kept violating my WSOD, and I almost quit a couple of times. Then it occurred to me that I wasn't actually reading science fiction, but rather science fantasy. (Like in Star Wars, most of the ‘tech' was magic with a high-tech veneer.) With that in my head, it became readable and enjoyable.
What do you get? Well – lots of action, lots of narrow escapes and hijinks, some fantastic and very odd characters, and a race against time with lots at stake.
3+ stars, but I cannot quite round it up.