Name: Ian Betteridge's review of Gridlinked by Neal Asher
Item: Gridlinked
Rating: 5
Author: Ian Betteridge

Neal Asher

On the brink of burnout, Cormac disconnects his brain from the artificial intelligence network that enables rapid interstellar travel and and is forced to track and elude a vicious psychopath while uncovering fiercely guarded secrets on the recently destroyed planet of Samarkand. Reprint.

Gridlinked

Ian Betteridge

Jessica Nottingham

Gridlinked was the first full length Sci Fi book I've read in roughly 4 years. I had forgotten how much you really need to slow down, and absorb the world you're being immersed in. While it took me a little longer to read than I expected, this book definitely reminded me of why I miss Sci Fi in all of its gorgeous, complex glory.
 
The Polity universe is a thing of beauty. A world rich with myths, legends, and the type of technology that makes you wish you lived there. It took me a bit to firmly seat myself inside this world. I loved the little intros at the beginning of each chapter, pulling background information from books that Polity inhabitants had written. I appreciated the fact that Neal Asher never felt the need for infodumps. There was never a point where I felt buried under information necessary for me to understand the story. Instead, it was laid out slowly and intentionally. While that meant it took me a little longer to settle, it also meant I never wanted to stop reading.
 
On to Ian Cormac, our main character and a thoroughly fascinating person. Hands down, Cormac was my favorite part of this story. His background was rich, and he felt like a real person to me. Following along as he dealt with his addiction to being gridlinked, watching as he had to relearn how to read social cues, it made him a person I could get behind. Best of all, every other character in this first story was just as detailed. These were characters I could love, or loathe, as the story dictated. 
 
So why the three star rating? Mainly, it's me not the book. I'll admit that there were a few grammatical errors that drove me a little batty, but mainly this is just me getting comfortable with the vast space that is Sci Fi. That being said, those of you who already read this genre will likely love this series. One thing I do know? I'll be going on to the next book! The ending was perfect, but also prompted me to read more. That, is a beautiful thing.

Widescreen, action-packed science-fiction drama by a notable talent.

Cal Desmond‐Pearson

Peter Tving

The hunter becomes the hunted in Gridlinked, the first sci-fi thriller in Neal Asher's compelling Agent Cormac series. When a portal to other planets explodes on Samarkand, thousands are killed and a terraforming project is obliterated. Earth Central Security suspects sabotage – and assigns a legendary investigator. But Agent Ian Cormac has his own problems. Years spent mentally linked to the Polity’s AI network have eroded his humanity, and this gridlink has to be severed or he’ll die. Without it, he has only his wits (and Shuriken, a throwing star with a mind of its own) to rely on. Cormac’s disastrous last mission also haunts him – as a psychopath and a murderous android track him across the galaxy, seeking revenge. Meanwhile, the ice-bound planet of Samarkand hides deadly secrets beneath its surface . . . secrets Cormac is about to disturb. Gridlinked is followed by The Line of Polity, the second title in the Agent Cormac series.

Ian Betteridge &
Gridlinked by Neal Asher

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Ian Betteridge &Gridlinked by Neal Asher

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Ian Betteridge &
Gridlinked by Neal Asher