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taleisin's review
5.0
I think S. K. Dunstall just became auto-buy authors for me. This is one of the best science fiction books I've read in a long time--interesting idea, great characters, action packed. Cannot wait to dive into book two.
daynpitseleh's review
4.0
I received this from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
A refreshing take on the space opera genre mixed with military/political epic. I normally don't like space operas ... or military/political stories, but Linesman goes so far beyond those labels. The writing is great, and the character development and world-building is very good. A great start to a new series!
A refreshing take on the space opera genre mixed with military/political epic. I normally don't like space operas ... or military/political stories, but Linesman goes so far beyond those labels. The writing is great, and the character development and world-building is very good. A great start to a new series!
trike's review
1.0
Am I the only one annoyed by this book?
It's meandering, it's repetitive and redundant and repetitive (see what I did there?), and it has no ending. That last one really pissed me off. The writers (S.K. Dunstall is a pair of sisters) set up this big mystery about an alien space ship and then answer nothing about it. I'm not reading a bunch of other novels to find out about that.
When you make a promise to the readers, you need to fulfill that promise. You don't substitute something else instead and then abruptly end the book, like they did here.
All the stuff about intergalactic politics felt like it was spinning wheels. Easily half of that business could've been cut out. Reading a book like this makes me appreciate how effortless Scalzi and Niven make it look.
There was also the issue of proofreading. Things happen and then they either happen again or they seem to have been forgotten. Like Sherry Nugil in Real Genius whose ambition is to sleep with the ten smartest men in the world, there is a character named Katida who only sleeps with the highest-rated linesmen. (Also 10s.) On page 37 she propositions our hero. Then on page 70 he wonders why he hasn't met her yet. Perhaps they meant that to be him wondering why he hadn't met her in the two years he was certified, but that's not what is said. That sort of thing happens a couple of times in the book.
And on the subject of the main character, Ean Lambert, he's just a doofus. He spends all his time taking showers like a weirdo. The reason why is given late in the book, but by that time he just seems like this oddball character who has random quirks and is useless for anything else than fixing lines. I have a hard time believing a ghetto kid would have no other skills, especially common-sense survival skills, that he can call on when the shit hits the fan. He comes across more like a rich, coddled suburban kid who is ill-prepared for life.
This is compounded by little annoyances like questions which don't have question marks. I guess that's a style thing, but it constantly made me stutter and stop and reread.
All of which is a shame, because the premise so cool. Alien technology they use which they don't fully understand yet is vital to an intergalactic civilization, creating plenty of potential conflict. The notion of sentient energy (the "lines") that forms the basis of interstellar travel is cool, but all they really do with it is add to the mystery rather than give us any answers. Aggravating. I didn't care about the politics, I wanted to know about the alien spaceship. Bupkis.
It's meandering, it's repetitive and redundant and repetitive (see what I did there?), and it has no ending. That last one really pissed me off. The writers (S.K. Dunstall is a pair of sisters) set up this big mystery about an alien space ship and then answer nothing about it. I'm not reading a bunch of other novels to find out about that.
When you make a promise to the readers, you need to fulfill that promise. You don't substitute something else instead and then abruptly end the book, like they did here.
All the stuff about intergalactic politics felt like it was spinning wheels. Easily half of that business could've been cut out. Reading a book like this makes me appreciate how effortless Scalzi and Niven make it look.
There was also the issue of proofreading. Things happen and then they either happen again or they seem to have been forgotten. Like Sherry Nugil in Real Genius whose ambition is to sleep with the ten smartest men in the world, there is a character named Katida who only sleeps with the highest-rated linesmen. (Also 10s.) On page 37 she propositions our hero. Then on page 70 he wonders why he hasn't met her yet. Perhaps they meant that to be him wondering why he hadn't met her in the two years he was certified, but that's not what is said. That sort of thing happens a couple of times in the book.
And on the subject of the main character, Ean Lambert, he's just a doofus. He spends all his time taking showers like a weirdo. The reason why is given late in the book, but by that time he just seems like this oddball character who has random quirks and is useless for anything else than fixing lines. I have a hard time believing a ghetto kid would have no other skills, especially common-sense survival skills, that he can call on when the shit hits the fan. He comes across more like a rich, coddled suburban kid who is ill-prepared for life.
This is compounded by little annoyances like questions which don't have question marks. I guess that's a style thing, but it constantly made me stutter and stop and reread.
All of which is a shame, because the premise so cool. Alien technology they use which they don't fully understand yet is vital to an intergalactic civilization, creating plenty of potential conflict. The notion of sentient energy (the "lines") that forms the basis of interstellar travel is cool, but all they really do with it is add to the mystery rather than give us any answers. Aggravating. I didn't care about the politics, I wanted to know about the alien spaceship. Bupkis.
starsfanalison's review
3.0
I'm not entirely sure how to feel about this book. From the start, I felt like maybe I was coming into a series in the middle, like I had missed a book prior to this one, but I know I haven't. There's a lot of information to work through at the beginning, which can be overwhelming, and occasionally new character names get dropped as if they were already part of the story. The overall concept is incredible, and I really enjoyed how the story panned out as a whole. Maybe because it's the first time I'm reading a novel like this, or because I'm not used to the writing style, but I got bogged down in little details. Definitely a compelling concept and story line. I'm not entirely sure if I'm interested in continuing the series though.
lindca's review against another edition
4.0
3.5 stars
The premise of the story was interesting, the execution at times a bit uneven.
Ean is a self-taught linesman from the slums of a rich world who interacts through song with the lines of energy that control and power ships. Almost by accident, he is plucked from relative obscurity and becomes embroiled in galactic intrigue when a new line source is discovered and various political factions vie to control it and each other.
I usually don't mind beta protagonists with self-esteem issues if there's a little self-deprecating humor involved. There's none here, and while Ean has good reason for self-doubt, it became frustrating to read at times. Nevertheless, he never becomes paralyzed and reacts in most situations with resourcefulness, making him a likeable character.
I had a little more trouble with the political machinations and had difficulty at times recalling who was aligned with whom and why. I usually prefer more action vs. intrigue, and at times the balance tipped the wrong way for me. Still, I enjoyed the story enough to want to come back to it and find out what happened next.
So, 3.5 stars rounded up to 4 both for the intriguing premise and the hope that in the next book in the series there's a bit less emphasis on the political and a bit more personal growth for Ean.
The premise of the story was interesting, the execution at times a bit uneven.
Ean is a self-taught linesman from the slums of a rich world who interacts through song with the lines of energy that control and power ships. Almost by accident, he is plucked from relative obscurity and becomes embroiled in galactic intrigue when a new line source is discovered and various political factions vie to control it and each other.
I usually don't mind beta protagonists with self-esteem issues if there's a little self-deprecating humor involved. There's none here, and while Ean has good reason for self-doubt, it became frustrating to read at times. Nevertheless, he never becomes paralyzed and reacts in most situations with resourcefulness, making him a likeable character.
I had a little more trouble with the political machinations and had difficulty at times recalling who was aligned with whom and why. I usually prefer more action vs. intrigue, and at times the balance tipped the wrong way for me. Still, I enjoyed the story enough to want to come back to it and find out what happened next.
So, 3.5 stars rounded up to 4 both for the intriguing premise and the hope that in the next book in the series there's a bit less emphasis on the political and a bit more personal growth for Ean.
zzzrevel's review
4.0
I really loved this and would have given it all 5 stars
except I thought it was confounding (vague?) in spots which
took me some lag time before I was back up to speed
with the story. I loved the intrigue of the conflicts,
not your normal fire-torpedoes space opera battles.
Excellent characters and a mystery that will be
ongoing into Book 2. I can't wait.
except I thought it was confounding (vague?) in spots which
took me some lag time before I was back up to speed
with the story. I loved the intrigue of the conflicts,
not your normal fire-torpedoes space opera battles.
Excellent characters and a mystery that will be
ongoing into Book 2. I can't wait.
liliavisser's review
5.0
Loved it even more at reread, so... it became a 5.
Wonderful idea, nice characters and really good pace. It's been some time since I statted a book I could not stop reading and it felt great!
Wonderful idea, nice characters and really good pace. It's been some time since I statted a book I could not stop reading and it felt great!
spacebornfew's review
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
jhbandcats's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
The characters aren't as tight-knit and lovable as in Dunstall's Stars Uncharted / Stars Beyond duology, but Ean Lambert is sympathetic and likable and I found myself cheering for him all the way. He's an outsider, a low-caste slum kid who's gotten a job as a linesman despite everyone thinking he isn't qualified and is faking.
There's a fair amount of politics here in amidst the line singing and the ship battles, and I felt that interrupted the
flow of the story. The strongest parts were about Ean's interaction with the lines and how they affected the ships.
I also liked his convivial relationships with his employers Michelle and Abram as well as his guard Radko.
A pretty good start to a series, and I'm off to read the next one.
Note: SK Dunstall is the pseudonym of two sisters, S & K Dunstall, who write together.
There's a fair amount of politics here in amidst the line singing and the ship battles, and I felt that interrupted the
flow of the story. The strongest parts were about Ean's interaction with the lines and how they affected the ships.
I also liked his convivial relationships with his employers Michelle and Abram as well as his guard Radko.
A pretty good start to a series, and I'm off to read the next one.
Note: SK Dunstall is the pseudonym of two sisters, S & K Dunstall, who write together.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, War, Classism, and Injury/Injury detail
dukeofwess's review
5.0
Unsurprisingly, I adored this. It makes me want to reread the entire Crystal Singer trilogy by Anne McCaffrey immediately. I loved how politically inept Ean was and how infuriated Rossi was at everything.