Specify Books To Use of Weapons (Culture #3)
| Original Title: | Use of Weapons |
| ISBN: | 185723135X (ISBN13: 9781857231359) |
| Edition Language: | English URL http://www.iain-banks.net/uk/use-of-weapons/ |
| Series: | Culture #3 |
| Characters: | Cheradenine Zakalwe, Diziet Sma, Skaffen-Amstikaw |
| Literary Awards: | Arthur C. Clarke Award Nominee (1991), Kurd-Laßwitz-Preis for Bester ausländischer SF-Roman (Best Foreign Work) (1993), British Science Fiction Association Award Nominee for Best Novel (1990), Grand Prix de l'Imaginaire Nominee for Roman étranger (1993) |
Iain M. Banks
Paperback | Pages: 411 pages Rating: 4.18 | 37028 Users | 1685 Reviews
Description In Favor Of Books Use of Weapons (Culture #3)
The man known as Cheradenine Zakalwe was one of Special Circumstances' foremost agents, changing the destiny of planets to suit the Culture through intrigue, dirty tricks and military action. The woman known as Diziet Sma had plucked him from obscurity and pushed him towards his present eminence, but despite all their dealings she did not know him as well as she thought. The drone known as Skaffen-Amtiskaw knew both of these people. It had once saved the woman's life by massacring her attackers in a particularly bloody manner. It believed the man to be a lost cause. But not even its machine could see the horrors in his past. Ferociously intelligent, both witty and horrific, USE OF WEAPONS is a masterpiece of science fiction.
Declare Containing Books Use of Weapons (Culture #3)
| Title | : | Use of Weapons (Culture #3) |
| Author | : | Iain M. Banks |
| Book Format | : | Paperback |
| Book Edition | : | Anniversary Edition |
| Pages | : | Pages: 411 pages |
| Published | : | March 26th 1992 by Orbit (first published March 1990) |
| Categories | : | Science Fiction. Fiction. Space. Space Opera |
Rating Containing Books Use of Weapons (Culture #3)
Ratings: 4.18 From 37028 Users | 1685 ReviewsColumn Containing Books Use of Weapons (Culture #3)
Review for The Player of GamesI find the Culture series fascinating in how Banks approaches a theoretical post-singularity utopian civilization. In Culture most things are run by advanced and sophisticated self-aware artificial intelligences. But instead of getting a Matrix or Terminator result Banks envisions a society for humans where they can fully self-actualize. There is no want, strife, or unrest. If you want to pursue science even if you aren't very good at it you can. If you just want toI'd prefer to sit on the floor, thanks. No, really! I'll feel more comfortable that way.I'm sorry? Oh, just something I read. It doesn't matter. To be honest, I'd rather not talk about it.
As are most of Iain M Banks' books, this one is desperately slow and directionless for much of it's length. His writing style is good, but his disdain for his own characters leaves you cold. Then suddenly, the last 10% of this book becomes an emotional obscenity, an assault of deepest cruelty, a celebration of hatred, and an abuse of the reader. I could never forgive Zakalwe for his deranged and horrific brutality, a sin of no possible redemption.I resent Banks' rape of my mind in this book, the
i BUT 7 So, in the end not the end but about 150 pages in, since that is my designated end, and why not in a book that starts where it does? what is it about this writing technique? I still think it is true that having more than one story gadding about in different directions is a way of getting away with not having a story that is sufficient to fill up a novel. But at the same time, Im starting to wonder if it is a way of letting pseudo-intellectuals who profess horror or at least boredom
ode to zakalwewhen all life is violencerooted, bound, inescapableeverything is a weapon.this cannot be overstated.memory, worship, flesh, loveinhibition, action, demand, careshoelace, knife, gun, nukeblood, shame, slinkythe gas chamber kills more thanthe good books kill more thanthe chemical weapons kill more thanthe pamphlet kills more thanthe meltdown kills more thanno. never more than us,for we are these weapons all.the mind, our mind, our mindsthe weapon, our weapon, our weaponsdeath? it's
Ok, hard book to review. So, it's brilliant, but as you read it you might go, meh this is a little boggy. Then you get to the end, and, well. Just read it. *Mind Blown*.
It's better for me to say nothing other than:"This is an absolute masterpiece. Read it."2020 reread edit: Yep, it still stands. On a second read there are just an amazing number of subtle nuances throughout this thing that I didn't pickup the first time through.
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