Consider Phlebas - Book Review
Consider Phlebas, by Ian M. Banks, is an SF novel and the first released book in the Culture series.
I have actually read Player of Games before on recommendations.
One thing to note is that this book actually defines some things that Player of Games don't. Seems silly that Banks didn't do it for the other one, as most explanations are a couple of paragraphs at most (example: drones auras). Yes, you could understand it from context, but this felt better and was more informative.
The story was interesting and views the Culture mostly from an enemy's perspective - a Changer (which was quite interesting) - an human that is capable of changing his appearance and also has minor combat enhancements.
The tech is pretty nice overall, specially when you consider that the book is from 1987! Many older SF novels have extensive silly sequences when read now, this one aged well apart from maybe a few bits.
There are a couple of things I didn't like, in particular the somewhat anti-climatic way that the story of the war ends, and how depressing the ending is. This was also the case in Player of Games. Not sure if this is going to be a thing on every Culture book. Might be just a way to reflect on the pointlessness of war, but still not a fun note to end in.
Overall, recommended, and I will continue to read the Culture series. But it didn't feel great, just pretty good.
I have actually read Player of Games before on recommendations.
One thing to note is that this book actually defines some things that Player of Games don't. Seems silly that Banks didn't do it for the other one, as most explanations are a couple of paragraphs at most (example: drones auras). Yes, you could understand it from context, but this felt better and was more informative.
The story was interesting and views the Culture mostly from an enemy's perspective - a Changer (which was quite interesting) - an human that is capable of changing his appearance and also has minor combat enhancements.
The tech is pretty nice overall, specially when you consider that the book is from 1987! Many older SF novels have extensive silly sequences when read now, this one aged well apart from maybe a few bits.
There are a couple of things I didn't like, in particular the somewhat anti-climatic way that the story of the war ends, and how depressing the ending is. This was also the case in Player of Games. Not sure if this is going to be a thing on every Culture book. Might be just a way to reflect on the pointlessness of war, but still not a fun note to end in.
Overall, recommended, and I will continue to read the Culture series. But it didn't feel great, just pretty good.
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