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Use of Weapons

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  • 15-09-2001 2:15pm
    #1
    Shinji
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,275 ✭✭✭


    You know the way, when you've been reading the books of a certain author for a long time, you suddenly realise that you've missed one of his early classics?

    That just happened to me. I read Consider Phelebas years ago, and Player of Games not long after; I've been reading Iain M. Banks' novels for ages, and of all the universes ever created by a science fiction author, I find the Culture the most compelling by far.

    I just finished Look to Windward (a *fantastic* book, and highly recommended) and in WH Smith in Waterloo station, spotted Use of Weapons. This is the third Culture novel he wrote, after Consider Phelebas and Player of Games... For some reason I'd always thought I'd read it, but a glance at the back of the book confirmed that I hadn't.

    Wow.

    I don't like the term "tour de force", but well, it is one. Gripping, well-written, fascinating, full of sympathetic characters doing terrible things... Perhaps the most impressive aspect of it is the sense of building horror in the novel as you realise that SOMETHING really nasty is going to be revaled in the end, and yet when the truth is finally sprung on you, it still comes totally out of left field...

    An amazing novel. I realise I'm probably preaching to the converted here, since a lot of you have no doubt read it, but for those who haven't... Do so.


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    #2
    yellum
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,025 ✭✭✭yellum


    This was the first Iain M. Banks book I read. Every other book pales in comparison. Amazing story.

    At the moment I'm attempting to read Excession. Don't like it at all so far. Half way through it. Might get Look To Windward if you thought it was good. Against a Dark background was pretty epic too. The non Culture books are good too.


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    #3
    Shinji
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,275 ✭✭✭Shinji


    Excession is a bit of a slog, mainly because you get so bloody confused as to which ship with a stupid name is which :)

    The ending is a little weak too...

    Look to Windward is bloody good - well worth a read. He's definitely back on form with it.

    I haven't read Against a Dark Background, it's next on the purchase list... Although I'm alternating reading actual hard science (nanotech research for some fiction I'm writing) with light entertainment (Rob Grant's new book, Colony) at the moment, so the rest of Banks' work can wait :)


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    #4
    Yo Mamma
    Registered Users Posts: 954 ✭✭✭Yo Mamma


    Iain M Banks is one of my favourite authors, and Use of weapons is one of his greats, so good infact that I played cs for a long time under the name ZaKalwa !! lol :)

    His greatest work to date, imo, is The Player of Games, although Look To Windward and Consider Phlebas come in a close second. The only ones that I thought was not the may west, as far as the Culture are concerned, was Inversions.

    It was a good story but too much political plot for my taste, it was good to see him back in form with the release of Look To Windward :)

    I look forward to his new book due out early next year I believe ?


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