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4.04 AVERAGE
4.04 AVERAGE
Non-linear storytelling is one chore to hand. Following a pyscho for a main character is just disgusting for me. It is the mixture of thesw two, plotting I don't care for and a character I dislike that compels me to drop this one. It lacks the sci epicness or moral counterweights to help me tolerate all the vileness.
challenging
dark
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
medium-paced
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
dark
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I think I would have enjoyed this book better in print vs audio and also not as my first Iain M. Banks book.
Overall, I really enjoyed the book more and more as it went on. While listening to the audio version I found myself losing focus through some of the musings and had to go back a few times as there was something in the musings with more significance. Also, I wish I would have had more of an understanding of The Culture to before starting this book.
The twist at the end I was expecting from earlier on, but made it no less enjoyable. The twist in the 'prologue' at the very end however put a new perspective on things and made the story of the MMC and his family hit harder.
Overall, I really enjoyed the book more and more as it went on. While listening to the audio version I found myself losing focus through some of the musings and had to go back a few times as there was something in the musings with more significance. Also, I wish I would have had more of an understanding of The Culture to before starting this book.
The twist at the end I was expecting from earlier on, but made it no less enjoyable. The twist in the 'prologue' at the very end however put a new perspective on things and made the story of the MMC and his family hit harder.
Fantastic continuation of Banks' excellent Culture series. This novel follows military genius Cheradenine Zakalwe as he goes on one last mission for The Culture, using his prowess to, once again, put right a world that was wrong.
The story weaves in and out from past to present, telling us why Zakalwe turned out how he did while continuing to teach us more about the Culture and how they work.
A great tale of war and ethics and brutal decisions and vicious bureaucracy.
The story weaves in and out from past to present, telling us why Zakalwe turned out how he did while continuing to teach us more about the Culture and how they work.
A great tale of war and ethics and brutal decisions and vicious bureaucracy.
It's maybe a bit unfair to give this 3 stars. Maybe 3.5?
Still better than Consider Phlebas, but not quite as tight as Player of Games. I think that, as usual, Banks had a lot to say with this novel, and some of it came across well, and the rest not so much.
There is a lot of interesting stuff to contemplate in here about the vast stretch of eternity. It certainly seems like it would be amazing to live forever, but we know that despite this option, culture individuals often choose to eventually die. Throughout this book, we see flash backs of all the insane scenarios that Zakalwe gets embroiled in, and honestly, they start to blend together and become meaningless. Despite the excitement, despite the thrill, one after another, they just stop mattering.
And I think this is exactly what the author wants us to see. Every incredible clash...every epic war...100, 200, 1000 years later...they just don't matter. And this very visibly wears on our main character.
This is an interesting take, and is tempting to take as our model for what eternal, or at least very very long life must be like. But I don't know that it hits the mark. For example, I read hundreds of books. I experience hundreds of flashes of little lives and conflicts and worlds. But I don't get tired of reading them. I expect that I never will. I could read 1000 more, but if you give me something new and interesting I will read it happily.
Now, as experience stretches to infinity, maybe it all changes. Maybe you do get bored. Maybe there is nothing interesting left. But where there is infinite time, there is also infinite variation...so I don't know that I am sold on this either.
Anyway, the characters in this book were interesting, but I don't know that they were as compelling in Player of Games. I liked the dual timeline approach, and the ending was fun.
This single book isn't going to make it onto any of my high recommendation lists. But this book definitely has it's merits in terms of giving you interesting things to ponder on. I'd say most of his works do well in that regard.
Still better than Consider Phlebas, but not quite as tight as Player of Games. I think that, as usual, Banks had a lot to say with this novel, and some of it came across well, and the rest not so much.
There is a lot of interesting stuff to contemplate in here about the vast stretch of eternity. It certainly seems like it would be amazing to live forever, but we know that despite this option, culture individuals often choose to eventually die. Throughout this book, we see flash backs of all the insane scenarios that Zakalwe gets embroiled in, and honestly, they start to blend together and become meaningless. Despite the excitement, despite the thrill, one after another, they just stop mattering.
And I think this is exactly what the author wants us to see. Every incredible clash...every epic war...100, 200, 1000 years later...they just don't matter. And this very visibly wears on our main character.
This is an interesting take, and is tempting to take as our model for what eternal, or at least very very long life must be like. But I don't know that it hits the mark. For example, I read hundreds of books. I experience hundreds of flashes of little lives and conflicts and worlds. But I don't get tired of reading them. I expect that I never will. I could read 1000 more, but if you give me something new and interesting I will read it happily.
Now, as experience stretches to infinity, maybe it all changes. Maybe you do get bored. Maybe there is nothing interesting left. But where there is infinite time, there is also infinite variation...so I don't know that I am sold on this either.
Anyway, the characters in this book were interesting, but I don't know that they were as compelling in Player of Games. I liked the dual timeline approach, and the ending was fun.
This single book isn't going to make it onto any of my high recommendation lists. But this book definitely has it's merits in terms of giving you interesting things to ponder on. I'd say most of his works do well in that regard.
It felt a little stretched out. Book had an idea what he tried to do, but there were a lot of fillers.
Nonetheless, I enjoyed the story and I really like the world and the worldview of the Culture.
Nonetheless, I enjoyed the story and I really like the world and the worldview of the Culture.
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*.