A good pager turner but lacks the oomph factor of his other books.
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If you are reading a review for this book, chances are you're a Neal Asher fan already. This is the 5th and supposedly final installment of the Ian Cormac series, so no persuasion to read it is needed. If not yet a fan, then a description of his writing for me is akin to a magic eye picture, in that his books are always interesting to start but not always very clear what they're all about. Then, suddenly concepts and stories, the brain did not think previously comprehensible, are thrust in to view. This is true of Line War but when it all becomes clear this book just slightly lacks that oomph factor of the other books. It pains me to give only 3 stars to an author of stratospheric dimensions, but, despite being a good page turner, for me Asher has not added anything extra to what has gone before. The Cormac books are all a bit bleaker and less humourous than the others, but even knowing this I did not root for the characters quite as much as I wanted. Gimme Sniper the War Drone over Knobbler any day. Brass Man was the zenith of the series in my opinion. For the uninitiated, read The Skinner and Voyage of the Sable Keech. They're the best sci-fi books I've ever read.
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Just as good as its brothers and sisters
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My fifth ASHER read and just as good quality as the last 4. A good read, well established story and a fitting conclusion to the series with a more solid ending than the others - will he be following on?
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Very entertaining space opera
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Asher has overtaken Iain Banks as my current favourite SF author- mainly because of the relative weakness of Bank's most recent output. This latest Cormac novel is a cracking good read - although there's nothing too stunning here in terms of new ideas to be perfectly honest. It's very much a continuation of what's gone before. Cormac is not so central to the narrative, and is probably not the most interesting character in the book either . In fact, I get the impression that the author perhaps feels the same way as some of the best passages feature the `supporting' cast. It's good space opera, not too challenging, but currently about the best thing out there.
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Getting better all the time!
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Asher is probably my favorite author (Morgan,Hamilton and Reynolds are all in the frame),and this one of the best so far. rollercoaster plots and Amazing charaters!and if your reading this Mr Asher, then A big pat ont he back for you! pity I can read them faster than you can write them!
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As good as the best.
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What more can be said. I'm preaching to the converted here anyway.Along with Morgan and Banks, Asher is the best(Hamilton and Reynolds close behind.)With Cormac, Neal Asher has written the most consistently enjoyable and engaging series in the last ten years.The only other series that comes close is Morgan's (only) three Kovacs novels. If you know science fiction at all you know it's only a question of whether Line War is worth reading. The answer is an emphatic yes. Buy it and read it. If you've not read anything by Mr. Asher yet, start with The Skinner. After that, you'll be hooked, but for maximum enjoyment and clarity, read the Cormac books in order.You will not regret reading Neal Asher.
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