Linesman (A Linesman Novel)

Simply incomprehensible. All they do is talk about lines in this book and it's way past half way through when they start trying to even explain what the lines are. The somehow make space ships work. They're manufactured by humans but only a "linesman" can fix the lines when they get out of whack which they often do and there are no tools nope they just think to the lines all except our hero he SINGS to the lines to fix them. there is absolutely nothing here worth reading at all.

I loved this book! Specially the humorous parts. There were some parts where I couldn't stop laughing. So funny. It took me two days, but I couldn't put it down untill I finished. I recomend it. Good read. Fast paced with humor. Tense moments, battles and fulo of incredible characteres. The writing was só good that I got to the end wanting more.

Billed as a politically complex scifi tale. Not very complicated and very thinly drawn. We are not told much about this future universe beyond the basics. At least four politically active groups trying to outsmart each other. Lacks real depth. The main character En is a clumsy fool who goes through the book in his own world. We get little explanation of the mysterious lines who seem to act as a kind of AI. It is fast paced, but overall a book that is more defined by it's weaknesses then its strengths.

Too many characters I didn't care about. Alliances, politics, etc. Very little of the SciFi I'm looking for in a fiction book. I'll refer you to Paul Harmon's review of July 24 for a detailed accounting of how I (also) felt about the story.

I'm halfway through the book and absolutely nothing has happened. Nothing! The characters sit around a spaceship having shallow and boring conversations while the protagonist drinks tea, sleeps and showers a lot. There's no narrative drive or energy, just eavesdropping on a group of petty and uninteresting people.

The story's premise of having gifted people who can tap into lines of energy was interesting. And in the hands of a better writer it might make for a good book. But "The Linesman" sure isn't it. I'll never find out if Ean makes contact with the alien ship because I can't bear to finish reading it.

this was not worth the money. characters are paper thin.

perhaps the biggest problem i had with the book was the apparent lack of editing...atrocious. the plot premise has an interesting kernal, but it just drifts everywhere.

no i won't be buying any more of dunstal's books...terrible. worst i have read in quite a while.

Not sure what to say about this one. Interesting concept to start regarding the lines of energy, the guilds of people sensitive to the lines and able to control or "fix" them, and political intrigue between the guilds and two opposing galactic empires. Throw in a strange alien ship with a dead crew discovered by one of the empires that seems to be closely connected with the energy lines and a protagonist who is a linesman who works in non-standard ways with the lines by singing to them, and you have the seeds of a great story.

Unfortunately, a great story never materializes. What you get is predictable political maneuvering by the different power groups, some standard "running down the spaceship corridors being shot at by laser beams", instantaneous travel between very distant locations (ok, I know the void is FTL, but still there is SOME transit time right?) and a number of other unexplained things that happen and are left unexplained. Add to that a hero, Ean Lambert, who spends most of his time passing out, singing while running at full speed, drinking tea, or taking a shower (yes, you read correctly) and you get a bit of a snooze for a read. Character growth is non-existent... I kept waiting for Lambert to become all powerful by controlling the lines and the alien ship and transforming into something post-human like in Asher's Owner series, but instead he just passes out some more and takes another shower.

The meaning and nature of the lines are never explained and are described in often contradictory terms... They are grown in vats, they can break and need fixing, yet they are alive and sentient, yet they control mundane things in space ships like communications, yet they allow people to travel through the void, etc... Etc... Nobody knows what line 7 does.

Don't expect any explanation. It never comes.

I nearly abandoned this one about 75% into it, but wound up skimming the last bits just to get it over with. One star for this snoozer.

Poor development, execrable plotting, a plot device that just bites - I'll rage read sometimes just to get to the end. Couldn't be bothered for this turgid steamer. Author ranks down there with Darrel Bain, Tony Teora and BV Larsen

This book was a recommended read from Ilona Andrews, whose opinion I trust, and the blurb somehow reminded me of Ann Aguirre’s Sirantha Jax, when it comes to space piloting, which I found fascinating. I read the first chapter excerpt and couldn’t wait to get it, so it actually jumped the line over several things that should have been first. I was also pretty pleased that it breaks my cycle of eyes in science fiction (while those have overall been successful for me-it would be tedious if that was only how I found science fiction books), and that it was a male protagonist with no reported romance interest, like The Martian, which was a highly successful read for me. So my goal for this was as an entertaining palate cleanser.

And I have to say, if nothing else, the politics were rather fascinating. Which is a funny thing to say, and sounds like damning with faint praise, but truly, the politics were fascinating. And it was an excellent contrast or background for an affable, self effacing man who thinks more of the work than the politics, and whom you can’t help but like. He’s out of sync in more ways than one, but a likable underdog for the reader to get behind,

This is definitively science fiction, but I think it would be accessible to even non-science fiction readers, because the science isn’t heavy (though there are sentient ships which is always a cool feature), plus there is plenty of action and adventure, and interesting character studies. I truly liked most of the characters, i wanted to see them prevail, I wanted the ships to be heard, it is a story where there is always someone to root for. And while the linesmen aren’t the pilots, it was very satsifying for the technicians to be the heroes of the story, not the more glory filled professions.

Like I said, I really enjoyed this story and I couldn’t be happier that it looks like a sequel is in the works, since this is a world I’d like to spend more time in and see how future developments unfold.

Linesman came highly recommended by Ilona Andrews (one of my favourite authors) so add that to the fact that I've been obsessed with stories set in space recently and of course I HAD to read it. I didn't know a huge amount about the story going in but what I found was unique and refreshing and I enjoyed every minute of it.

After discovering an alien technology humans have been able to adapt it to allow long distance space travel. Space ships access the 10 different lines and each of these lines is used for a different ship function, we don't know what all of the lines do but there is one for communications, one for travelling through the void, another controls the engines and a fourth keeps the ship's gravity in check. One thing all the lines have in common is that they need frequent attention and fine tuning to stay functional and there are only a small number of humans who have the ability to work them. As a level 10 linesman Ean is one of the top tier but his eccentricities have made him a bit of an outcast amongst his peers. Other linesmen tune the lines using their mental abilities but Ean finds he has to sing to them to make them do what he needs. Since Ean grew up in the slums and was initially self trained the others feel he is beneath them and they don't believe he is as powerful as they are.

When a mysterious anomaly is discovered in deep space most of the other level 10 linesmen are sent to investigate but Ean is kept home by his boss and instead forced to take over the day to day upkeep of the entire fleet. Ean initially sees this as another black mark against him but once the captains start to realise how skilled he is he soon finds himself in high demand. Then his contract is purchased by a wealthy and secretive business woman and Ean gets much closer to the Confluence than he ever dreamed possible.

I absolutely loved Linesman, Ean was a great character, someone with very little self confidence who suddenly finds himself amidst some of the universe's most influential people and even stranger they're actually listening to what he has to say. He's totally out of his element and has no interested in the political games that are playing out around him, all he really wants is a chance to study the lines and to use his skills to fix them. Ean really steps up when he's needed and I loved seeing how much his character grew throughout the story. There are lots of interesting side characters, some with questionable motives but also some who are surprisingly supportive of Ean. He's made some powerful allies but that has also gained him some equally powerful enemies and he's now walking a very fine line between both sides of a brewing war.

This story had me captivated from beginning to end, I couldn't wait to see how it played out and I was left desperate to get my hands on the sequel. This is a really strong debut from writing duo Sherylyn and Karen Dunstall and I'll be eagerly waiting to see where they take Ean's journey next.

I must admit that I absolutely loved this book. It's one of those books that grabs you from the first page and doesn't let you go until you are done with the story. Needless to say that I spent a few sleepless nights finishing it up and was rather useless at work the next day because I just couldn’t put it down.

Humanity has spread through the cosmos and populated numerous worlds, all thanks to the Line technology - a technology humans had found on an alien spaceship and successfully replicated. The lines allow spaceships to travel through the void, making travel in space instantaneous. There are a total of 10 lines on a ship and each one is responsible for a different function, but the most important ones are line 9, which takes the ship in and out of the void, and line 10, which allows the ship to travel through the void to another destination.

However, nobody really understands how those lines work or why only certain people have the affinity to repair and maintain those lines. These people care called linesmen and they are ranked from rank 1 to 10, by the number of lines they can interact with. Level 10 linesmen are the rarest and the most important, thus the most sought after.

Then there is Ean Lambert who, while a certified 10, is a joke even amongst his peers. He came to the cartels late in life and pretty much taught himself how to communicate with the lines. And his method is very unorthodox to say the least. He sings to the line, because he perceives them as music, not as energy like all other linesmen. And he is persuaded that the lines are sentient. No wonder everyone else thinks he's crazy. Until an alien ship appears in human space and it has a line that only Ean Lambert can hear and interact with…

I absolutely loved Ean. He has a huge chip on his shoulder because he has always been made to feel inadequate. Because of his origin as a kid from the slumps. Because he came to the cartel house as a teenager instead of a small child. Because his methods are unlike the standard methods thought by the cartels, thus are considered wrong. Because he's always been the laughing stock of his peers.

What I love is that even though he doesn't have much self-esteem at all, he still refuses to bend and conform to the "traditional" way of doing things. When it comes to the lines, he will always do what feels right, even if it means singing until his voice breaks and everybody looks at him like he has a few screws loose in his brain. He loves these lines, and amazingly enough, they return that feeling. I am happy with the personal growth Ean goes through in this book and that he finally finds a place where he belongs and where he is happy.

The world of Linesman is also really complex and interesting. There are several different factions and world alliances that are at the brink of war, and the appearance of a potential new weapon has all of the scrambling to get to it first. Political alliances are brokered and broken, tensions run high, and skirmishes threaten to degenerate into a full-blown armed conflict.

There is a sense of urgency throughout this book that keeps your turning the pages, because you want to know what happened to Ean and the crew of the Lancastrian Princess and make sure that they are all okay.

Anyway, I strongly recommend this book to all science fiction lovers and I'm looking forward to Book 2 that's supposed to come out in February.

Originally posted at http://kimheniadis.com

I don’t read a lot of Science Fiction. It’s not that I don’t enjoy it, but there are often so many different names/species that I find myself losing track. That’s why I find Cozy Mysteries so easy to read, you have your usual set of characters and then add in three to five new people per book (to have some suspects for the crime), and that’s all. Besides trying to solve the mystery, you don’t have to worry about remembering which character is which.

While this book did have numerous characters, there wasn’t as many as some books. And there was really only two species, humans and aliens, though you don’t see much of the aliens. And I guess you could consider people and linesman as two different species.

To me it was a typical space Sci-Fi story; people on the verge of war, ships fighting and jumping through space, lots of politics, bull-headed captains, and a prize that can change who wins the war.

This book had a twist to it. The lines which correlate to various functions on the ship, such as communication and being able to jump the lines through space. There are 10 lines and only about 50 people can hear up to line 10. While other people can hear up to various other lines. Whichever line you can hear up to, are the lines that you can fix. But not everyone can hear the lines, so those that can (Linesmen) are treated with a sort of reverence.

Through the lines, the ships become a living entity. It’s not realized at first, but the ship is part of the crew, doing what it can to protect them. And if the crew is unhappy or off balance, then various line will also become broken. That’s when a linesman needs to be called in to fix them.

While all of the linesman who can see up to line 10 are away fixing ships, Ean Lambert is made to stay behind because the guild that he is in commands it. Here’s one of the spots where more characters come in. There are different guilds, and thus, more political intrigue.

Ean is from the slums so he has that against him. Plus he is the only one who sings to the lines to communicate with them, so everyone thinks he’s crazy. All the other linesmen use brute force, pushing and pulling them to the outcome they desire. While this type of force does fix them, it’s more of a temporary fix. And the lines quickly get out of whack again, but the lines Ean fixes stay fixed.

At first, Ean is the only 10 available, so he is the one who is recruited to try to get onto an alien ship. Any ships that have gotten close, end up triggering the defenses and get destroyed. A couple more 10s join Ean, so you get to witness how uppity they act, especially towards Ean.

Besides the typical space Sci-Fi story, you also get a great underdog one as well. Ean is very special, but he stays humble throughout, and doesn’t become an egotistical jack-ass like the other 10s.

I really enjoyed this book, and am looking forward to the next one. If you enjoy space operas, you should give this one a read.

*Paperback copy given to me from the Ace/Roc Star publishing team. All thoughts and opinions are my own, and I was not given any money or material incentives for an honest review of this book.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, so much so that as soon as I was done with it I bought the follow-up, Alliance. Well-drawn characters, interesting plot, not so much hard science that I was put off but enough to make me think about a lot of things I ordinarily wouldn't be considering. From what I can tell (semi-spoiler alert!) this is actually written by two different authors, sisters who reside in Melbourne. And sadly, this is their first and only "series". I couldn't find shot stories on line or anything earlier, though I did try.
At any rate, I'd recommend this. Some of the critiques here have complained that the characters aren't "fully developed". No, they're not as fully developed as Miles Vorkosigan. I'd compare them more to Cordelia's first appearance in the Vorkosigan series. But I saw a huge difference in character depth between book one and book two, and I expect there will be more.
This book, and the follow-up, are both terrific reads. One of the things I most enjoyed was that although they got me thinking, they never bogged me down. I'd read them again.

I absolutely love this series.

I have always been a huge fan of science fiction movies and novels, and I was extremely intrigued by the Linesman Series' take on it. The basic plot premise is that humans have adapted technology from a crashed alien ship for their own use, but they have very limited understanding of how it works. Certain humans are born with a line ability which allows them to control and repair the lines of a ship, ranging from lines 1 through 10. The main character, Ean Lambert, is a level 10 linesman, the rarest and most sought after level. They are so valuable that even fleet admirals and rulers of worlds treat them with respect. However, the other level 10 linesmen look down on Lambert because he was originally self-taught and does not follow conventional rules and procedures in regards to how he communicates with the lines.

I first started the series in basic training/AIT, where I only picked it up because the selection of reading materials offered for sale was extremely limited. I had the misfortune of only being able to acquire the 3rd book, which I read first. However, it had me hooked and my only request to my parents as my Army OSUT graduation present was the first two books, the first of which I finished in about 3-4 hours in a hotel room because I was so obsessed with the series.

An absolute must read. I would highly recommend this book to anybody interested in a fresh perspective on science fiction novels.

Extremely enjoyable SF novel featuring Ean, the self-taught "linesman" from the slums of the planet Lancia, who can fix all the lines that are required for interstellar ships to travel into the void and between planets. Ean hears the lines as music, where classically trained linesmen talk about forces of energy, and Ean struggles for acceptance. When he is forcibly recruited by a noblewoman from his home planet, Ean is drawn into interplanetary intrigue, where only his unique ability to hear the lines may save the day.
The story has a unique premise, with its intriguing concept of lines and linesmen, and an appealing hero trying to prove himself. While some of the characters in the opposing political empires and armies were slightly hard to keep track of, most of the book is from Ean's point of view, and is very entertaining. This is the first of a series of Linesman books, and I can't wait to read the next one.

This was a very interesting take on the space opera. The take on how FTL is accomplished and that humans just use it with understanding is interesting. It points to more information about what it is in future novels.

Ean Lambert is a Linesman, one of the gifted individuals who can manipulate, repair, and use the lines of energy that make faster-than-light travel possible. Moreover, he's a ten, the highest level of Linesman--but he's also a slum kid who came to line training late. He sings to the lines rather than thinking at them. It's odd behavior that, combined with his atypical lower-class background, makes him an oddball and an outcast among higher-level Linesmen.

But with most higher-level Linesmen off investigating the strange, line-like phenomenon of the Confluence these last six months, Lambert has been busy, as the only ten available to repair ship lines. And he's almost the only ten available when Lady Lyan and Commodore Galenos decide they need one to investigate a derelict alien ship.

What follows is high-stakes political and military adventure, as Lambert confronts the strangeness of his way of working the lines, the handicaps of his upbringing and lack of education until he was able to sign on with the Rigel cartel, and being plunged into the middle of political and military crisis. Along with Lambert himself, Lyan, Galenos, and others on Lancastrian Princess are interesting characters, as are Rossi, Fergus, Orsaya, and others among the rival forces.

This is the start of a series of unknown projected length, but this volume comes to a reasonably satisfying ending, and it does a good job of establishing the universe and the basic issues at stake. I like Lambert and his friends and allies, and enjoyed the time getting to know them.

I can't see this as a Hugo nominee next year, but it's certainly a good read.

Recommended.

I received a free electronic galley from the publisher via NetGalley.

TThis book was given to me by Netgalley

Linesman by S. K. Dunstall, sisters Sherylyn and Karen Dunstall actually, is a space opera about "lines' which are sentient alien technology yet somehow they have a factory that constructs these living things and apparently people have "lines" as well? I really couldn't tell you what the lines look like or if they are actually a physical thing at all, and they can't be since people somehow have them so, how is there a factory that makes them? Yeah it's like that.
The story is from the point of view of two "level 10" Linesman, which are Line repairmen first is our main character Ean Lambert and the second a rival? linesman named Jordan Rossi, and I couldn't even figure out who he was until half way through the book.
I was thinking on many occasions that the editor really dropped the ball on this one then I started thinking maybe the editor just threw his hands up and said "Whatever" which is how I felt most of the time. The book needed to be a hundred pages shorter and at one point I was reading a Rossi chapter but the first page and a half was from Lambert's POV right after leaving one of his chapters. On several occasions the scenes were taking place like normal with someone talking about something I didn't care about then abruptly I'm in the middle of another conversation without any real sense of a change in scene which became frustrating. In fairness I believe a small part of that had to do with my constant loss of focus and interest in what was happening in the previous conversation.
Other than Ean Lambert the characters in this book were indiscernible from each other I had no idea most of the time which talking head was who. I found my attention wandering off so often that I began to wonder if I was developing ADD. Most of the book is political posturing and double talk and just felt so muddled I couldn't have cared less.
When finally about halfway through the book some interesting action began to take place I thought things would pick up, but quickly the book became talking heads of cardboard cut outs again until near the very end when we had another semi-action scene...mostly running away, and the ending itself didn't end up being very satisfying.
I gave it two stars because ultimately there is a really interesting story underneath with some good ideas but forcing myself through the dull characters and conversations made it not worth the effort, the book would have been fascinating had it been shorter, more fleshed out with more interesting characters and more things actually happening but I spent more time counting down how many pages I had left than I did caring about the characters...whoever most of them were. In the end I was curious about the future of Ean and the lines and the many things left unresolved but there was too much broth and not enough meat to inspire me to return to this universe should a sequel be forthcoming.

Great escape reading! But enough science and philosophy to give it substance snd a hero we can all identify with. As others have said it has a lot of the elements that are good in a space opera but not boring because it builds it on an unusual and very interesting premise.Listened to the audible book while commuting and it made the time fly. It is well written and I cannot wait for the second book.

Fantastic space opera slash military scifi. I couldn't put it down after reading the excerpt and lost my entire day to it in the very best way. Great characterizations, intrigue, battles, combined with exploring an alien technology and its implications. Very enjoyable read - at one point it seemed like the book was wrapping up, but I still had a third of it left!

This book definitey deserves 5stars. Good plot, good caracter deveopment & just the right amount of acion in my opinion. This is science fiction at its best. I have already pre-ordered the next book. Hurry up February.

I've been reading science fiction for a few decades but this is the first time I've enjoyed a book that was foggy and clear at the same time. I look forward to see how they handle the second book in this series.

This was a great story with a compelling likable, flawed, underdog main character. The setting of the lines was intriguing. Too much boring politics for me, but on my second read I just skipped all that. Already preordered the next one. Some really nice writing too.

Reluctantly, I've decided to abandon this book after about 130 pages. It has some interesting science fictional concepts, but it's ruined by clumsy writing.

As other negative reviewers have noted, the concept of 'lines' remains vague and confusing. In addition, the interactions between characters frequently are odd and confusing, and don't seem like the way real people behave. The narration of events lacks clarity, and I was often unsure exactly what was happening, or why.

S. K. Dunstall has a future based on a technology looted from an starship adrift. The lines allow FTL travel and also supply power to the ship across the void. A relatively few people have the psionic powers to shape the lanes and only fifty that can call themselves a level ten Linesman (paper from Ace). Almost all of those are investigating a strange ball of energy called a convergence. Ean Lambert is the only linesman who hears the songs of the lines and sings to them and he is considered crazy. Then the Emperor-of-the-Alliance’s daughter buys Ean’s contract to take him and another ten to a newly found starship whose defenses destroy any ship attempting to come close. The Gate Union, a growing political power wants that ship too, and has no qualms at kidnaping the princess to get it. Add in an eleventh line somehow generated by the ship that only Ean can hear, and a potential war. News ships add to the complication, especially when they are somehow dragged along on every jump. Fun, with a sequel coming.Review printed by Philadelphia Weekly Press