Alliance: A Linesman Novel

There's a war on, and level-ten linesman Ean Lambert is called upon to decipher the lines of newly discovered alien ships in Dunstall's overstuffed follow-up to 2015's Linesman. As a linesman, Ean is able to communicate with, and fix, the mysterious lines that keep ships running. His methods are unorthodox: he "sings them true." He's been in the employ of Crown Princess Michelle of Lancia for five months now, and is settling into his new role. Soon he learns of the formation of the New Alliance, created after the secession of worlds from the Gate Union. The New Alliance controls the alien ships that were recently discovered, but only Ean understands the alien lines, and he finds himself in the middle of a battle for powerful secrets. The concept of lines controlling a spaceship (each responsible for a different function) is an intriguing one, but endless political maneuvering overshadows the fun idea of sentient ships. Ean doesn't have enough personality to carry it (nor does new addition Kari Wang), and the many secondary characters never come to life. Those looking for an action-packed space opera won't find it here, and new readers will be lost. (Feb.)