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lyrrael's review
2.0
The lines. No ship can traverse the void without them. Only linesmen can work with them. But only Ean Lambert hears their song. And everyone thinks he’s crazy…Most slum kids never go far, certainly not becoming a level-ten linesman like Ean. Even if he’s part of a small, and unethical, cartel, and the other linesmen disdain his self-taught methods, he’s certified and working. Then a mysterious alien ship is discovered at the edges of the galaxy. Each of the major galactic powers is desperate to be the first to uncover the ship’s secrets, but all they’ve learned is that it has the familiar lines of energy—and a defense system that, once triggered, annihilates everything in a 200 kilometer radius. The vessel threatens any linesman who dares to approach it, except Ean. His unique talents may be the key to understanding this alarming new force—and reconfiguring the relationship between humans and the ships that serve them, forever.
This really fell apart for me about halfway in. Ean got too powerful too quickly, and everything else just felt made up and fake Jack Campbell’s Lost Fleet series. Really disappointed, because it started out SO good. And by the way? I felt like I was hearing the word “lines” every other word by 2/3s of the way in. Ugh.
This really fell apart for me about halfway in. Ean got too powerful too quickly, and everything else just felt made up and fake Jack Campbell’s Lost Fleet series. Really disappointed, because it started out SO good. And by the way? I felt like I was hearing the word “lines” every other word by 2/3s of the way in. Ugh.
katos's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
3.5
jerseygrrrl's review
3.0
This wasn't as "clean" as Stars Uncharted. There were some plot holes, threads that were dropped, and some writing tics. However, I read excessively and stayed up much later than I intended. So a big thumbs up for this book for an uncomplicated, absorbing read.
tacuazin's review
3.0
Reading this book was an interesting experience because I found one of the voices, Ean's, with all the lines and the singing, truly mesmerising, whereas the other one, Jordan's, with the politicking and endless jealousy and classist comments, was dull and annoying.
Cartels, militaries, alliances, coups, attempted coups, countercoups... They all blended into one shapeless and uninteresting mass which would have benefitted from some shortening and editing.
Ean's obsession with showers was also a bit weird, but to each his own, I guess.
I'll keep reading the series, let's see where it takes us.
Cartels, militaries, alliances, coups, attempted coups, countercoups... They all blended into one shapeless and uninteresting mass which would have benefitted from some shortening and editing.
Ean's obsession with showers was also a bit weird, but to each his own, I guess.
I'll keep reading the series, let's see where it takes us.
theshrike's review against another edition
4.0
Ean is a bit of a whiner and has zero self-esteem for most of the book, but he does kinda grow up eventually. The concept of "lines" to power and control space ships is really fascinating and the politics aren't too badly overdone.
The book ends with a few things still left up in the air.
A proper page-turner, need to check out more of S. K. Dunstall's books definitely, although the reviews for book #2 in the Linesman series say there's even more politics than in this one.
The book ends with a few things still left up in the air.
A proper page-turner, need to check out more of S. K. Dunstall's books definitely, although the reviews for book #2 in the Linesman series say there's even more politics than in this one.
kylieeason's review
2.0
This book started out very interesting, but I eventually grew very confused and struggled to keep characters straight.
It may have just been an off time for me, but I didn’t really enjoy this one and glad when it was finished
It may have just been an off time for me, but I didn’t really enjoy this one and glad when it was finished
ufcasey's review
3.0
2.5 stars
I wanted to enjoy this more than I actually did. The concept was so unique - the idea of these kind of mystical "lines" allowing ships to travel in space and only certain people having the innate ability to fix the lines. The problem with the book is that Ean was the only character that was interesting to me, and even then I thought he was kind of bland with his total lack of confidence and constant desire to take showers. Then the second character/narrator in the book, Rossi, was honestly equal parts obnoxious and boring. His entire 'other side of the story' viewpoint was just filled with so many other characters that I didn't care about and I was glad when his chapters ended and we shifted back to Ean's point of view. I won't be continuing on with this series.
I wanted to enjoy this more than I actually did. The concept was so unique - the idea of these kind of mystical "lines" allowing ships to travel in space and only certain people having the innate ability to fix the lines. The problem with the book is that Ean was the only character that was interesting to me, and even then I thought he was kind of bland with his total lack of confidence and constant desire to take showers. Then the second character/narrator in the book, Rossi, was honestly equal parts obnoxious and boring. His entire 'other side of the story' viewpoint was just filled with so many other characters that I didn't care about and I was glad when his chapters ended and we shifted back to Ean's point of view. I won't be continuing on with this series.
joie881's review
2.0
** 2.5 stars **
A fragmented, confusing read but enough interesting aspects to make me finish it. Like the lines--entities that are created in factories but end up as sentient beings with feelings that run ships! However, they seem to be in people too. How can that be? Who knows; the reader is not privy to that information, at least not in this book. Then there are linesmen who manipulate these lines, the most talented being our protagonist, Ean Lambert. He is unique in that his extraordinary ability was not uniformly honed like all the other linesmen.
The rest of the book is all about intergalactic alliances and vying for control (what else is new). There was a very fascinating alien race that was discovered along with the mysterious ship, but that aspect was glossed over and never fully developed. As this is the start of a series, I have yet to decide whether or not to give the next book a try,
A fragmented, confusing read but enough interesting aspects to make me finish it. Like the lines--entities that are created in factories but end up as sentient beings with feelings that run ships! However, they seem to be in people too. How can that be? Who knows; the reader is not privy to that information, at least not in this book. Then there are linesmen who manipulate these lines, the most talented being our protagonist, Ean Lambert. He is unique in that his extraordinary ability was not uniformly honed like all the other linesmen.
The rest of the book is all about intergalactic alliances and vying for control (what else is new). There was a very fascinating alien race that was discovered along with the mysterious ship, but that aspect was glossed over and never fully developed. As this is the start of a series, I have yet to decide whether or not to give the next book a try,