Consider Phlebas
Author: Ian M. Banks
The Good
The Culture: I want to go to there. Failing that, to read more about it.
The mirror image: The War is mirrored by the novel, which is pretty well done. What we see of the war is pretty great: The Culture withdrawing and preparing. It's clear in the first few pages how this war must end.
The appendices: I've loved such things since Dune.
The Bad
The protagonist: What. An. Ass.
Trains: I suppose trains make sense to use to protect big whigs on a planet, but I wasn't inspired by it.
The Ugly
female: don't refer to women this way.
the eaters: That's a digression I could have done without.
Player of Games is next on the list, which I think I will enjoy more.
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I'm essentially holding out for The Culture to turn up and change my life. I'll probably have another cup of tea while I'm waiting.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure that you will find Player of Games more enjoyable. It is a favourite of mine, possibly swayed by there being board games in it.
I think Player of Games is my favorite of his, though the protagonist isn't much of a character either TBH. That's never really been Banks' strong suit, IMO, but it doesn't have to be given the other aspects of his stories.
ReplyDelete"not much of a character" is superior to "fuckhead"
ReplyDeletePoint taken.
ReplyDelete"female: don't refer to women this way."
ReplyDeleteWhat does this mean?
Neil Robinson Hah. It would be nice. I'll go live on a GSV, please.
ReplyDeleteMatt Johnson
ReplyDeleteConsider the difference: The female made coffee.
To: The woman made coffee.
Or, even better: Cathy made coffee.
Consider:
The male made coffee.
to: The man made coffee.
Or, perhaps: Bob made coffee.
Female is not a way to refer to a person.
Oh, okay, I see. It's been... quite some time since I read them so I wasn't sure what you were specifically meaning here.
ReplyDeleteI loved this book. When I set out to read the Culture novels people tried to warn me away from it but I started with it anyway and enjoyed it. One of the darkest action sci-fi thingies I've ever seen. Still makes me feel punched in the stomach to think about it.
ReplyDeleteI have yet to meet a Banks main character I didn't want to strangle.
ReplyDeleteI thought Ambassador Kabe in Look to Windward was a real sweetheart.
ReplyDeleteBret Gillan haven't read; will add it to my list.
ReplyDeleteLove Banks. I like Player of Games and Use of Weapons the best. Consider P. was alright. Enough to make me want to read another, but I don't remember much.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you liked most/some of it.
ReplyDeleteI think the protagonist was supposed to be an arse. Could be wrong. I think he was maybe supposed to be representative of humanity without the Culture. I could be wrong, it's been ages since I read it.
As for referring to someone as Female, the point was supposed to be that the Culture are not obsessed with the act of sex and people's genders. Everyone is free to enjoy each other however they (mutually) choose to and everyone can be whatever sex they choose for themselves. I think you will agree that this intent is far more progressive than most early '90s fiction. Choosing Male/Female as the descriptors for the two sexes of humanity is insensitive and discriminatory now, but at the time it seemed technical and accurate and possibly slightly detached, like it had been chosen by a committee of computer Minds.
Anyway, I expect you will enjoy Player of Games more, and I know you will enjoy it even more having read Consider Phlebas first.
I think I'm the only person who likes Surface Detail the best.
ReplyDelete