Linesman is a character driven sci-fi series about a young man, Ean, discovering that his unique way of working with space ship "lines" will revolutionize human understanding of that technology. A piece of scrap metal used for a ship repair was found to contain ten "lines" that when integrated with the ship allowed for greater control and most importantly, the ability to travel through hyperspace. On the edge of interstellar war for control of that technology an alien ship with amazing defenses is discovered and both factions are desperate to possess it. It will take "Crazy" Ean Lambert to figure out how to access and use it.

Ean grew up in the slums of Lancia but was certain he could hear the lines but only the wealthy were tested for the ability. He was eventually able to make his way offworld and convinced the Cartel Master Rigel to give him a chance. His trainers blamed his late training for his bad habit of singing while he worked with the lines. He surprised everyone by passing as a level ten, meaning he could work with all ten lines, making him one of the elite among linesmen if only Rigel would send him to work with the others. When that opportunity shows up in the form of a beautiful Lancastrian woman with a weapon to his head who forces Rigel to sign over his contract Ean is conflicted. He hates Lancia but is eager to work on an important project, especially when he finds out its an alien ship with something more than the ten lines that were known. He likes living on a lineship but his reputation among linesmen and feelings of inadequacy are against him. Princess Michelle and her commander of security Abram are quick to see that Ean's unique communication with the lines might be just what they need, but its his guard Radko escorting him everywhere who helps Ean figure out what he can really do.

Alliance, book two, delves deeper into the divide between the Gate Union worlds and Michelle's New Alliance. They have the alien ship but now they need a crew made up of linesman for it that must represent all of the New Alliance worlds for political reasons. The choice of Captain for the Eleven, as the ship is called, is a very political appointment complicated by the fact that Captains bond to their lineships and don't want to leave them so there is only one option for an experienced Captain, Selma Kari Wang. Captain Kari Wang's ship was destroyed leaving her the only survivor and she would have preferred to die with them. She doesn't want the Eleven but political pressure forces her into it. Ean is busy training linesman in his methods, both for existing ships and the new crew of the Eleven. There is obvious reluctance and resentment from his students although Jordan Rossi, a level ten who worked for the other side in Linesman, has become an enthusiast even if he refuses to admit it. Gate Union has determined that kidnapping Ean or even assassination will cripple the New Alliance progress with the Eleven making Radko's job protecting Ean harder than ever. The supporting characters continue to be strong additions to the story, and exploring the relationship between Captains and their ships involves more of Helmo, Wendell, and Gruen. (For some reason I really like Wendell)

Confluence, book three, splits into two story lines that rejoin at the end. One follows Radko and her mission to uncover the plots behind Gate Union politics, while the other follows Ean and Captain Kari Wang into battle. Radko had primarily beenEan's shadow so it was good to see her get her own storyline. Hers is a covert mission in the heart of enemy territory with a team of unknowns. The most exciting part is finding out just what the alien ships can do in combat. Even Captain Wendell gets into the action. For Ean its easy to rely on the lines to do what they think best, while Kari Wang finds it hard to plan tactics when she has no idea what their weapons actually are. Their working relationship is complicated. Michelle's father Emperor Yu of Lancia decides to start meddling in New Alliance politics and is destroying the good will Michelle built up with the other worlds. As part of his plotting Michelle is to make a political marriage when she has long been in love with another. Yu's interest in Ean and his abilities is particularly disturbing.

Overall, I really enjoyed this series. Ean is a little slow to gain self confidence and the disdain other linesmen feel for him gets old fast but otherwise the characters are great and the line system is different enough to make the series stand out among space oriented sci-fi. The linesmen reminded me a bit of the allomancy in Sanderson's books but only in the idea of some having access to all and some people with only one.

Audible now has the first two books and will probably have the third soon. Dunstall has a new series underway with the first book due out in August 2018. I'm definitely looking forward to more from Sherylyn and Karen Dunstall, the sisters who write as S.K. Dunstall. There's a good little interview with them when Confluence was coming out that has some good summaries of each of the books

https://mylifemybooksmyescape.wordpress.com/2016/12/01/author-interview…