Line of Polity (Ian Cormac)

Author - Neal Asher ... [Goo?] [Posters]

This Paperback Book item from Tor was reviewed on 23-Oct-2008.

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1) Paperback Book Line of Polity (Ian Cormac) by Tor. an Cormac, the Polity Agent of the prequel "Gridlinked", didn´t really strike me as a character you´d revisit for a sequel. He was deliberately written flat to emphasise his dehumanisation, but was ultimately as cool as most fictional secret agents and makes a fine comeback in the second of Asher´s Cormac series.

"The Line of Polity" fails to "Grinlinked" only on account of it not featuring the attention-grabbing Mr Crane, but it otherwise excels; the main action takes place on a planet with its own bizarre ecosystem that Asher brilliantly brings to life. Most planets in sci-fi do not have character in themselves, but the planet Masada is like a living, breathing personality here, with its own food chain and terrifying species. It´s wonderful to find such effort put into making the place as interesting as the people that inhabit it.

The story is great and fast-paced, the returning characters become more rounded and the new ones are sufficiently realised to keep you reading. As with the first book this isn´t Iain M Banks, but it really is great fiction and well worth reading, doubly so if you liked other novels by Asher. Really 3.5 stars, but I´m more tempted to go up than down.¤

2) Paperback Book Line of Polity (Ian Cormac) by Tor. I think Asher´s gift as a writer is in imaging a compelling future universe. His world is a network of Polity planets governed by benevolent AIs. The Polity is populated with a range of characters from cyborg soldiers to super cool secret agent types, Separtist rebels, smugglers, New Age scientists and mysterious, super-powerful alien entities.

My main problem with "The Line of Polity" comes in the shape of a "deus ex machina" at the end. I wouldn´t have minded this "rabbit out of a hat" trick if I didn´t feel like Asher had done the same thing in the other novel of his that I read, "Gridlinked". My sentiments about it were the same as those here: great universe and interesting characters, lame ending.

However, I should point out that my disappointment at the ending of "The Line of Polity" was not enough to put me off Asher. I have "Brass Man" and am intending to read it soon.¤

3) Paperback Book Line of Polity (Ian Cormac) by Tor. I had to force myself to finish this one, after having raced through The Skinner & Gridlinked. While the basic plot was good, the execution was flabby. I wish more time was spent with villain Skellor, and a lot less with expendable side-stories of a half-dozen minor characters, which get tedious in this 600 page book (not the 300 Amazon says). The Skinner has a lot of characters too, but they seemed to all be painting important parts of the overall story, on a much more interesting world. The story also lacked of a strong story line with at least one really intriguing character (like Sable Keech in Skinner, or Cormac in Gridlinked). By the end, I just didn´t really care that much about any of the characters, and the climax itself seemed tacked on and under-developed. I hope this work is merely a hiccup for Asher.¤

4) Paperback Book Line of Polity (Ian Cormac) by Tor. +1 for rivetting plotline - unbeknownst - I started reading the series backwards from Brass Man but still enjoy it
+1 for fast pace - no-nonsense teeth and claw action
+1 for delightful ´Brit´ black sense of humour
+1 Asher does the AI/human thing better than Reynolds, Banks or Hamilton

-1 to Publisher for not MAKING CLEAR on cover this is #2 in series

Bottom line: gimme more, MORE¤

5) Paperback Book Line of Polity (Ian Cormac) by Tor. After reading the superb ´gridlinked´ and the ´Skinner´, it was hard to believe that Asher could top himself. The ´line of polity´ and it´s sequel, ´the Brass Man´ are simply astounding.
How can a writer write a two part story over a 1000 pages
long (combined books),without ever becoming tedious or boring is nothing short of miraculous. His Polity universe, governed by A.I.´s, the polity agents, the incredible alien lifeforms is sort of a science fiction readers´ fondest hope come true. To the publishers in the United States: why do I have to keep buying such outstanding works from the UK instead of being able to purchase them here in the U.S.?
I have paid more for Asher´s books then any other SF books
I have purchased. The only reason I spent the money was because asher´s books are so achingly good. Please publish
these books in the U.S. If you haven´t read all of Asher´s
books, when you see a new one released anywhere BUY IT. They are that good. To Neal Asher - keep the books flowing, my friend, if you write it, I will buy it.¤

6) Paperback Book Line of Polity (Ian Cormac) by Tor. Outlink station Miranda has been destroyed by a nanomycelium, and the very nature of this sabotage suggests that the alien bioconstruct Dragon - a creature as untrustworthy as it is gigantic - is somehow involved. Sent out on a titanic Polity dreadnought, the Occam Razor, agent Cormac must investigate the disaster. Meanwhile, on the remote planet Masada, the long-term rebellion can never rise above-ground, as the slave population is subjugated by orbital laser arrays controlled by the Theocracy in their cylinder worlds, and by the fact that they cannot safely leave their labour compounds. For the wilderness of Masada lacks breathable air ...and out there roam monstrous predators called hooders and siluroynes, not to mention the weird and terrible gabbleducks.¤

Page Updated: Robert N. Goolsby, 20-Nov-2008, 03304843549780330484350, 080-230-540-110-2X1-WIB-8

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