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Polity Agent

Author: Neal Asher
Publisher: Tor
Category: Book

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Rating: 4.0 out of 5 stars

10 reviews
Sales Rank: 1931

Media: Paperback
Edition: New Ed
Pages: 562
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.8
Dimensions (in): 6.8 x 4.4 x 1.6

ISBN: 0330441523
Dewey Decimal Number: 823.914
EAN: 9780330441520
ASIN: 0330441523

Publication Date: July 6, 2007
Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days
Condition: Brand new book dispatched from stock in the UK

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•	The Line War (Agent Cormac 5)

Customer Reviews: Read 5 more reviews...

5 out of 5 stars

Infuriating but so good May 8, 2008
The last book I have read of ASHERS whilst waiting for the next to be delivered. Killing off some favourite characters - nice when an author has the guts to do this. Some very interesting revelations about BLEGG and JAIN tech goes nuts as does ASHERS brain to have written this. Gripping and action packed just how I like them. Such is the description you can vsualise pretty much everything. What a way to end though without the next one in my hand waiting. Buy it

3 out of 5 stars

Polity Agent April 4, 2008

As Asher's "Cormac" series of space opera novels continues, his scope of Polity space and the outlying worlds widens, drawing us further into the universe that he has created. A history begins to take shape that, seeded in the previous novel, soon begins to reinstate itself. This fourth volume, "Polity Agent", draws upon the framework that Asher had already laid without falling into the trap of continually throwing in new elements to keep things "fresh".

The story is fine, although it is not a complete story. It's evident that Asher has probably signed a multi-book deal with his publisher as he's clearly holding back on any real conclusion; the book has no ending, merely ending with a significant event in what is clearly on ongoing storyline. It's a shame that Asher felt the need to do this, plant the seeds of the next novel so thickly that there's too much story to tell in a single volume. Hopefully the freshly-released fifth book with provide a satisfactory conclusion to an average, but open-ended novel.

5/10

3 out of 5 stars

Space fighting men, machines & others December 19, 2007
A book set in the far future where AIs run many aspects of civilization (from Earth Central down through planetary systems to ships and drones), c.f., I.M.Banks. The main theme concerns a menace whose seeds were sown millions of years ago by the long dead Jain civilization.

Starts well but we are soon drawn into one battle after another, told in loving detail. I cannot recall a book with a higher percentage of pages dedicated to fighting, in this case with esoteric weapons - so if you are into this sort of thing read this.

There's no real ending: the book gives the impression of fizzling out because the requisite length has been reached. Still, Asher writes well enough for you to become quite fond of a number of his characters - don't, there's a fair amount of culling.

5 out of 5 stars

Excellent! October 11, 2007
1 out of 1 found this review helpful

A strong follow up from Brass Man. We get to learn more about the mysterious Horace Blegg and the inner workings of the Polity. Its an intriguing world, with politics and economics controlled by AIs. Almost like Plato's ideal state, except instead of a triad of detached rulers we have a multiply of AIs who, when push comes to show does not rule based on cold logic alone. This is a fantastic book and, oh the action scenes! Grand space battles with masers and tasers whizzing through space and gory close up combats. Ian Cormac and NEJ (a space ship) doing some pretty amazing stuff on all levels. I cant wait to see where this will end. I mean it, I cant wait! I need the next book now, now!

1 out of 5 stars

A Tuneless Space Opera October 2, 2007
1 out of 12 found this review helpful

This is the first Neal Asher book I've read, (which may have been a mistake since it's the 4th (?) in the series), and I don't think I'll bother with any others. He seems incapable of telling a story - the book is a series of events strung together rather than a continuous narrative. The characters are pretty flat, with the "hero" Cormac being the flattest of the lot. Unfortunately, this is brought more sharply into focus by some of the imagery he weaves around other characters, making them seem more sympathetic than Cormac.

He also seems to substitute weaponry for ideas; some of the stuff he describes is just so preposterous it's, well, preposterous. I know that futuristic planet-busting weapons are part and parcel of Sci-Fi, but in this book there's just too many of them. I also object to his killing people off thousands at a time, and writing off a million lives in one sentence. This isn't imagination; he ran out of that long ago. To be honest, I think he's bored with this and wants to do something else.

If you want comparisons, Charles Stross (Iron Sunrise) and Alistair Reynolds (The Prefect) are much better, with The Prefect being the best of them (but I'm a big Alistair Reynolds fan, so I would say that, wouldn't I ?) Both books are about people in futuristic settings, using weird technology, doing what people do and coming out on top. Neal Asher subjugates the people to the technology and the resulting read is just plain boring.

If you really want to try Neal Asher out, I would suggest you order the first book in the Cormac series from your local library and take it from there. And while you're at it, order Iron Sunrise and The Prefect as well, and see if you don't agree with me.