One thing I enjoyed about the first culture novel -- Consider Phlebas -- is that The Culture goes to war not because it is in their interest to do so (along any understandable length time span, it most definitely is not), but because the Idrianas are shitty.
That is, The Culture had a moral reason to go to war. They do something similar -- and with significantly reduced loss of life -- in Player of Games.
I think the same thing is happening in Matter. After reading Use of Weapons, I still have no idea what it was about.
Point is, I really like that Banks found good reasons for socially conscious society to go to war.
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I really like the Culture. And I'm glad you are enjoying the books.
ReplyDeleteI never liked Use of Weapons.
Which is your favorite? I'm happy to skip around.
ReplyDeleteSC is pretty interesting, right. And the improvements in how they do the job, pragmatic and moral, from novel to novel.
I'm expecting something nuts to come about in Matter.
Yeah, Use of Weapons is... weird. It kind of seems like a meditation on forgiveness or redemption. But... yeah. it's weird.
ReplyDeleteFavourites are Consider Phlebas, Inversions and, especially, Look To Windward.
ReplyDeleteI haven't read the three last ones though.
Oh, don't get me wrong: I disliked most of it.
ReplyDeleteI loathed the main character, I disliked the structure. I didn't like that the culture was predominately off screen.
But, I for sure like that The Culture went to war for moral reasons.
huh! Player of Games is my favorite, but I think Use of Weapons is the best.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed Player of Games quite a bit!
ReplyDeleteBrian Ashford Cool, I'll look to Inversions and Look to Windward, then.
ReplyDeleteThe more I read of Special Circumstances, the more I am convinced that their primary mission is to make sure that the rest of the Culture objects to them.
ReplyDeleteThey seem to grasp that if people ever get comfortable with what they're doing, it will be very bad.
So, yes, they have moral reasons for going to war... and they don't want you to read too much into that.
As for what Use of Weapons is about,
ReplyDeleteSpoilers
the protagonist is in a state of moral and literal undeath. The crime he committed was unforgivable. Or rather, the only way he can forgive himself is to sacrifice his life doing good. The problem is that thanks to advanced technology, he can't even do that without acknowledging that death is what he wants for himself and not for others. The culture is happy to keep resurrecting him, keep using him to do good, an infinite number of times, until he asks them to stop. Stopping would require him to forgive or accept himself, since no one else will. And since he can't do that, he is stuck trying to atone for the unatonable, forever.
I read these over such a long span I can hardly remember the earlier ones! Look to Windward I remember as being one of my favorites. Matter was a huge disappointment for me.
ReplyDeleteMatter is taking its sweet-ass time, even by Banks standards.
ReplyDeleteOh, what's that? a sc ship and agent have armed the steam-powered prince? This'll be hilarious.
ReplyDeleteJeebs what was that ending.
ReplyDeleteI'm trying Excession now. Thoughts?
Yeah, matter was a disappointment. Excession was fun and clever. It's a little self-indulgent, but sometimes it's enjoyable to be pandered to.
ReplyDeleteThe Hydrogen Sonata is really interesting, btw. It's not the best of the books (though it is good), but it's Banks' meditation on his own impending death, written at the very end of his life. All of the plots and themes are about death, dying, memory, through the prism of high-concept sci fi. Definitely put me in a strange mood for a few days afterwards.
ReplyDeleteWilliam Nichols Yes, that's what I thought, too! It seemed truncated. Not even a poignant lack of closure, just.. pfft.
ReplyDelete