Line of Delirium

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Line of Delirium and Emperors of Illusions are two 1995 books of a space opera trilogy by Russian science fiction writer Sergey Lukyanenko. The story is told in third person, usually from the viewpoint of Kay Dutch — a professional bodyguard living in a post-war galaxy. The names of races, planets, and several leaders are borrowed from the computer game Master of Orion, although everything else in the trilogy is original, even the physical descriptions of several races.
These harsh novels are unusual for Lukyanenko — although heroes may evoke sympathy sometimes, none of them could be called positive. Strained action intertwines with insights on psychology of people living and succeeding in a nightmare.