The Technician
by Neal Asher
science fiction
copyright 2010
read in September 2014
rated 8/10: really quite good
There are some books where the quest is just over the top. You know: girl finds magic sword, realises she is last of a long line of warrior priestesses, has just 500 more pages to learn the one spell which will save the kingdom from absolute destruction... It often leaves me wondering, how can the next book possibly top that ?!
Then I read a book by Neal Asher. If there is not a threat to the very existence of all of civilisation as we know it -- then I begin to wonder why the characters bother to make the effort... Waaaayy over the top... is the Asher normal :-)
The Technician is pretty much par for the Asher course. The Polity is under threat. Just how much of a threat, is only slowly revealed.
There's action and adventure -- and seriously sophisticated technology. Plus characters who are sympathetic enough that I do care what happens to them. And then... gradually... the full scope of the danger is revealed. A sort of deadly icing on the plot cake... Hmmm... not sure if that analogy really worked :-)
I do have a minor worry with my "quite good" rating for this book.
As a work of science fiction literature, I'm not sure if this book deserves eight out of ten. Is there depth of character ? I think there is. Is there a deep, timeless and universal meaning ? Is this Shakespeare in space?
Who cares !
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. My reading enjoyment is the basis for my rating.
Eight out of ten ? Yes !
Good ? I think so. Very, very, enjoyable ? Absolutely.
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Problems ? Solved
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