Gridlinked

Rating:
Summary: Don't believe the hype
Review: In my opinion this book, while decent, has been overrated. Asher is a pretty good writer, and the story and the milieu it inhabits is fairly interesting. A few portions of the book are exciting and absorbing,others are confusing. I liked the edginess of the book, including the psychotic, murderous robot Mr. Crane. But elsewhere, the character development was inadequate, for example, Cormac's difficult adjustment to no longer being jacked into the "grid", which could have been intriguing, is barely explored. A decision of one of the main characters near the end is completely ludicrous given his behavior up to that point, a contrivance that serves an outcome that can be seen a mile away. Lastly, the book is absolutely crippled by a climax that was underdeveloped, abrupt, and unexciting. Asher's got talent, which made this uneven novel a frustrating read for me.

Rating:
Summary: Exceptional debut from brilliant writer
Review: At first, it may seem that the pace is maybe a little too quick, and that Asher has so much story that he has to squeeze it in. But that's probably just me - it does take me a little while to get to grips with a new book, even if it does feature a universe with which I'm quite familiar. Angelina Pelter may be swiftly dispatched by the fast moving Ian Cormac at the very beginning of this novel, but Cormac's master does allow us to catch up by ordering the removal of his gridlink. Cormac is warned that staying gridlinked for so long may well have dehumanised him. Horace Blegg, Cormac's legendary boss, decides to interrupt Cormac's current mission involving the Separatists on Cheyne III to dispatch him to Samarkand, which has unfortunately been devastated by the destruction of a runcible gate. Thus Asher cleverly gets us to identify with Cormac, since the secret agent seeks to regain his own identity. There's a quote in the novel which says that Neal Asher is just as good as John Meaney. However, where Asher supersedes John Meaney is in the strength of his characterisation (to such an extent that Cormac's strong line on crime and punishment could be jeopardized).

Neal Asher's science is also good. The Runcible mode of transport seems much in line with the recent discovery of black holes at the centre of galaxies (and Asher has been writing about Runcible technology for quite a while). Where Neal Asher has always seemed strongest is in his creation of biological entities - mycelium and pseudopods are real science. However, Gridlinked has also finally revealed that Asher does have quite a whimsical tone. It's a delight to finally discover that the Polity's mode of transport was named after the runcible spoon in Edward Lear's nonsense rhyme 'The Owl and the Pussycat'. Some readers may think that the Polity is a bit like Iain M. Banks' Culture. However, Neal Asher is a bit of an expert in the martial arts, so he's far more knowledgeable about flying shuriken than other writers in this field. Besides, Banks didn't invent AI, as Asher reminds us by nicknaming Earth Central 'Hal'. There's a bit of Arthur C. Clarke in other ways - Dragon is a mysterious godlike being. But Asher also seems to have gone to the very depths of Science Fiction, by utilizing Prometheus in a way that Mary Shelley would have approved of (Dragon turns up in Frankenstein Monster mode, with exceedingly uncharitable thoughts towards its creator). The fantastic Golem android Mr Crane also gets to do his Bela Lugosi impersonation. Asher might have also been reading some literary studies on science fiction - note the term he uses when Dragon produces the first Dracoman on Aster Colora. Although Dragon doesn't have teeth like Spielberg's Jaws, he still has a considerable bite with the help of his pseudopods.

The mention of a creature called 'Dragon' jars at first. But Asher has given his leviathan a character which can be greatly appreciated. Certainly, this seems to be the closest that Asher has ever come to replicating the fantasy narrative that he employed in his first (unpublished) novel. The wolverine substance of adamantium seems to be a marvel too, but Asher's use comes from the fall of Mordor in The Lord of the Rings. Like the great Victorian Gothic novels, today's 'Western' fiction still seems alternatively fascinated and appalled by the East, most notably here in the 'presence' of Horace Blegg. Although the concept of the 'dinosauroid' may have entered the realm of the players of fantasy games, it does have an actual basis in fact: Dr. Dale Russell is a real palaeontologist. I was also delighted to see that Asher named Samarkand after the city on the Great Silk Road. Movie makers looking for the next 'Matrix' or 'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon' would do well to come knocking on Neal Asher's door.

I suppose I was a bit concerned that Anti-Grav Cars modelled on the Ford Cortina might date this novel, along with the pop tune (more Culture Club than Culture is 'Melting Pot'), but the longevity of Edward Lear's nonsense rhyme can be a powerful excuse - we just don't know what part of popular culture will survive in the years to come. Gridlinked deserves to live on, and there is much left in the Asher universe to explore (I was very happy to see mention of the gruesome leeches from 'Spatterjay' again). It turns out the retro Anti-Grav cars are also staple of the Asher universe - they were first mentioned in the Runcible Tale Blue Holes and Bloody Waters. Oh, and did I mention that Neal Asher also has great wit? The novel explicitly compares Cormac with James Bond - the book Bond, rather than the movie Bond, I'd say - Cormac is hard, but fair. The baddies may die in gruesome ways, but Cormac doesn't stand round trying to think of dismissive quips or pointless eulogies. Much of the humour comes from the excellent intros to each chapter (it's the best guide I've read to Asher's Universe). Gridlinked is a fast-paced action cyber-thriller which could beat the sushi out of The Matrix on any day of the week. And the good news is that Neal Asher's novel The Skinner is even better.

Rating:
Summary: Not that good
Review: Come on this is being over rated here on Amazon. Its a fair science fiction story written poorly by a novice author. The story is at times confusing and clunky. Its ok, but 5 stars!!! thats just plain ridiculous. When everybody throws 5 stars around others are misled into thinking these books are great works of art. You are doing other customers a disservice. I bought this book based on the 5 star reviews and this book is closer to 2 stars than three and I would rather use the pages of this book in the toilet and feel that I got my money's worth that way.

Rating:
Summary: Superb second wave cyberpunk
Review: Every line of this debut novel crackles with energy and ideas. The backdrop is a society enhanced by connectivity (the Grid of the title) and cross-galaxy travel made possible by runcible technology; the plot has all the kinetic force of a runaway bullet train. I'm reminded of Bruce Sterling's Schismatrix, but I think Grindlinked tops that one for pure joy of reading. Buy it.

Rating:
Summary: Intense Cross between Buck Rodgers and 007!
Review: I loved this book! Gridlinked was a super read set in a high-tech 25th century universe where interstellar travel is done instantly through runcibles-matter transmitters control by A.I.
Ian Cormac-our hero who can best be described 25th century James Bond who is burned out from years of being linked to his AI in missions. Cormac lastest mission he must find the cause of destruction of runcibles which resulted in death of thousands of people. Cormac's got two problems in this case: one is mysterious and possible deadly alien construct called the Dragon who has something to do with the runcible tragedy and the other is brutal psychopathic interstellar terrorist by the name of Arian Pelter who is after Cormac for killing his sister in his last mission! Pelter is aided by terrifying and nearly unstoppable android called Mr. Crane!Gridlinked is awesome space opera that combines hard science with james bondian action sequences between humans, cyborgs and assasins!Asher's world-building skills are wonderful! his Heroes and villians are three-dimensional.I look forward to Asher's next book!

Rating:
Summary: Fun and Gun, interesting first effort
Review: Neil Asher's first novel, "Gridlinked", is an attempt to put the James Bond genre into outer space. It doesn't wholly succeed, for most part due to the fact that the main character, Earth Security Agent Ian Cormac, has no character. Asher gives us a good reason why. It seems that he has been "gridlinked" or connected into the Artificial Intelligence Internet, for way too long and is more computer then man. For the first part of the novel, Cormac "unplugs" himself off this 'net, and has to deal with the consequences of finding his humanity and solving the galaxy's problems the old-fashioned way.

Now if Asher had kept this train of thought going throughout the novel, it would have been a whole lot better. Unfortunately, he gets caught up in the dealings of his psychopathic bad guy and his maniacal robot, along with the sudden inclusion of two alien life forms, and Cormac's inner struggle just disappears. After a bad day or two, Cormac seems to completely readapt to his lack of easily accessible information and the whole point of the novel just goes away and is never mentioned again. The rest of the novel disintegrates into a typical "chase the bad guy" story, with the usual tricks and clever tactics, etc. etc. I wish the novel had stayed the course as first promised. It would have been interesting had Cormac's cyber withdrawal actually had some bearing on the plot, but it really never does. In fact, very little that goes on in the novel actually effects the plot or the characters. It is a shame, as this was an excellent idea for a story and not bad, all things considered.

I wish Mr. Asher success in the future. I will be sure to read his next novel, in paperback, when it comes out.

Rating:
Summary: Exceptional stuff
Review: One word is sufficient to describe this book - Quality.

Let's face it, there are an awful lot of bad books out there, especially in the Si-Fi genre, but this is a very good book, and an exceptionally good Si-Fi novel.
Not least amongst it's many top qualities, was the ease of hurdling the first chapter, and getting buried into this quality novel.
Different authors may resonate more with your tastes, but if you've read Altered Carbon or The Player of Games, and were left with deep satisfaction from absorbing a future reality you could feel, touch and taste, then pick up this book. I swear that you will not regret parting with the hard earned...


Rating:
Summary: Another great British writer
Review: The current crop of British sf writers have restored my faith in SciFi. Hamilton, Asher, Morgan, Banks, et all produce superior stories, tech, and characters. The American debut of Gridlinked doesn't disappoint as Asher really delivers the goods with this story of revenge, xenoc explorations, a hi-tech universe and enough action to really get your heart pumping. What a refreshing change after so much of the mindless drivel that passes for Science Fiction these days, especially the Star Wars series, Star Trek , Honor Harrington and all the rest that passes itself off as scifi. Am I just ranting or do other's feel this way?

Rating:
Summary: entertaining futuristic science fiction
Review: The technician enters the runcible gate to star transport to the planet Samerkand, but something goes astray and his arrival ignites a nuclear explosion that kills at least ten thousand people. Earth Central Security legend Horace Blegg assigns his top gun veteran agent Ian Cormac to investigate the GRIDLINKED Samerkand disaster. Blegg also warns Cormac that his GRIDLINKED cybernetic implants that tie him into the AI network are destroying his brain. To save his mind he must delink, but can he survive without the technology he has relied on like a drug for three decades?

While Cormac struggles to adjust to an unplugged existence, he makes inquiries into the explosion. However, Arian Pelter and thugs working for him want Ian dead because Cormac killed his sister while working a separatist's case. As Cormac acts and reacts clumsily, Arian becomes self-assured that he will assassinate his enemy soon.

The technology is cleverly designed so that the reader can sense this futuristic galaxy has some unique gadgetry yet all the gizmos are interwoven into the terrific action-packed plot. The investigation subplot into whether an accident or sabotage occurred is exciting and hooks the reader even while the death count dramatically rises. However, the key to Neal Asher's fabulously complex science fiction is Cormac and Pelter whose cat and mouse contest makes for an engrossing and entertaining futuristic science fiction novel that runs at hyperspeed.

Harriet Klausner

Rating:
Summary: entertaining futuristic science fiction
Review: The technician enters the runcible gate to star transport to the planet Samerkand, but something goes astray and his arrival ignites a nuclear explosion that kills at least ten thousand people. Earth Central Security legend Horace Blegg assigns his top gun veteran agent Ian Cormac to investigate the GRIDLINKED Samerkand disaster. Blegg also warns Cormac that his GRIDLINKED cybernetic implants that tie him into the AI network are destroying his brain. To save his mind he must delink, but can he survive without the technology he has relied on like a drug for three decades?

While Cormac struggles to adjust to an unplugged existence, he makes inquiries into the explosion. However, Arian Pelter and thugs working for him want Ian dead because Cormac killed his sister while working a separatist's case. As Cormac acts and reacts clumsily, Arian becomes self-assured that he will assassinate his enemy soon.

The technology is cleverly designed so that the reader can sense this futuristic galaxy has some unique gadgetry yet all the gizmos are interwoven into the terrific action-packed plot. The investigation subplot into whether an accident or sabotage occurred is exciting and hooks the reader even while the death count dramatically rises. However, the key to Neal Asher's fabulously complex science fiction is Cormac and Pelter whose cat and mouse contest makes for an engrossing and entertaining futuristic science fiction novel that runs at hyperspeed.

Harriet Klausner