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timinbc's review against another edition
4.0
I must have read this a LONG time ago, because I barely remembered it as I re-read. Since then I've read all of the Culture series and some of the author's non-SF work. I gave it a C the first time, and now, in context, it's an A-.
This is not perfect, but I wouldn't expect the first book of a planned long series to be. It has groundwork to do. Random thoughts follow.
Culture vs Idirans is good; not Bad Guys vs Good Guys, and even a bit of "are we the baddies?"
The AIs, ships, drones etc are great, We get a gentle intro to the ship names that Banks later went so wonderfully crazy with. An Unaha-Closp may be my favourite out of this book.
Hasn't aged at all in the 31 years since it appeared.
There's all-out action, but also philosophy. Balveda's shifting attitudes are good. Sometimes there's too much explaining, and it's slow in places.
Fat Guy Island? Meh, we didn't need that.
Nor the whole "oh, man, this ultra-giant ringworld is gonna blow in, like, eight minutes; maybe we should go line up at the coat check and think about getting a taxi."
Near the end .. the resolution re the Mind was weak - but really what else could it have been?
And finally, after hundreds of pages of searching Balveda for memoryform things? She produces a near-planet-buster weapon from (not spoiling). OK, we were told how impossibly tiny the interior of a mind gets, and we may well be well past the level at which quarks are considered large, but sheesh.
Still, a good start to a great series.
This is not perfect, but I wouldn't expect the first book of a planned long series to be. It has groundwork to do. Random thoughts follow.
Culture vs Idirans is good; not Bad Guys vs Good Guys, and even a bit of "are we the baddies?"
The AIs, ships, drones etc are great, We get a gentle intro to the ship names that Banks later went so wonderfully crazy with. An Unaha-Closp may be my favourite out of this book.
Hasn't aged at all in the 31 years since it appeared.
There's all-out action, but also philosophy. Balveda's shifting attitudes are good. Sometimes there's too much explaining, and it's slow in places.
Fat Guy Island? Meh, we didn't need that.
Nor the whole "oh, man, this ultra-giant ringworld is gonna blow in, like, eight minutes; maybe we should go line up at the coat check and think about getting a taxi."
Near the end .. the resolution re the Mind was weak - but really what else could it have been?
And finally, after hundreds of pages of searching Balveda for memoryform things? She produces a near-planet-buster weapon from (not spoiling). OK, we were told how impossibly tiny the interior of a mind gets, and we may well be well past the level at which quarks are considered large, but sheesh.
Still, a good start to a great series.
topfy's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
testaroscia's review against another edition
4.0
Another re-read after many years and although excellent I now feel it inferior to Player of Games. I felt I learnt a lot more about the Culture through the latter however this is a fine introduction
cecile87's review against another edition
3.0
I couldn't get past the first third of the book. Once I peaked ahead by reading various synopses of the storyline, I decided it wasn't worth the read. I have to like the main character or at least find him or her intriguing.
squeeb's review against another edition
2.75
Slow in places. Relatively dislikeable/shallow characters.
eirikvii's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
This was a slog. Did not find the main character likeable or relateable, this may have been on purpose. Most infuriating for me was the, oftentimes, absolutely incomprehensible descriptions of places and environments. I expected some techobabble, which was fine, but there were way too many instances of words used to describe things and places that I had to look up. «Learn more english» WELL YEAH. I GUESS.
kivt's review against another edition
3.0
this was fine, i guess. i lost interest about halfway through but finished. not a great intro to the culture, i think.
jamesarosen's review against another edition
2.0
Great world-building. Banks is dogged in staying true to the physics of his universe. But the book is both grotesque and boring and the characters are shallow.
leflambeur's review against another edition
3.0
This was a very sting book with lots of hard is Sci fi ideas and wild building. Some great scenes on how futuristic technology might be used on a day to day basis. Only three stars for a lack of characters that you really could like and get behind.
the_pale_woman's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
3.5
I was a little surprised how comedic this was. Not that it was a comedy but it uses humor enough to balance the tense plot line. There's one moment between Horza and the AI of a shuttle craft that I especially enjoyed. I wouldn't describe this as absurd sci-fi but I think its close to the border.
I know now that this series is a bunch of individual stories revolving around a dominant civilization in this universe, the Culture. I have a feeling this series is going to have a lot of political and cultural themes decorated with lots of wacky space adventures. Awesome.
I know now that this series is a bunch of individual stories revolving around a dominant civilization in this universe, the Culture. I have a feeling this series is going to have a lot of political and cultural themes decorated with lots of wacky space adventures. Awesome.