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malenfant's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
hakimbriki's review
5.0
This is one of my favorite books. One that has had a long lasting impact on me as a reader, as a person, and as a thinker. I've always been apprehensive about reading it again, for fear I wouldn't enjoy it as much as the first time. Here we are, twelve years later, and I am even more blown away by it this time, if you can believe that.
First of all, I think the structure of Use of Weapons is what gives it the emotional oomph it is so famously known for. The narrative is divided into two halves: one set in the present day, and the other comprising flashbacks presented vignette-style with minimal context, progressively unfolding backward in time. It may seem confusing at first, but once you grasp the logic, you come to appreciate how it brilliantly fleshes out our main character. Zakalwe is a very complex and enigmatic character. Getting to know him is my favorite part of the book. He embodies the themes of morality and redemption, which are central to the plot. The other characters don't carry significant importance, but that's not particularly consequential.
Another theme explored in the book is the mechanics of war, highlighting how, in the grand scheme of things, those actively engaged in combat, and, sadly, even those who aren't are essentially "used as weapons" (roll credits) by the powers that be. This completely shatters our character, in unforeseen ways for the reader. Banks' skill in repeatedly pulling the rug out from under the reader is truly masterful.
Use of Weapons transcends mere science fiction. It is an espionage novel, a character study with irresistible literary finesse, and it has the essence and feel of a wonderfully crafted short story anthology... all set in deep space and in one of the most dazzling universes ever depicted in literature. Banks' prose is incisive, lyrical, moving, and frequently hilarious.
Lastly, I rarely say this, but I think this would make a killer movie, if done well. It has all the ingredients to be a unique cinematic experience. Christopher Nolan or Neill Blomkamp, please get on this STAT!
First of all, I think the structure of Use of Weapons is what gives it the emotional oomph it is so famously known for. The narrative is divided into two halves: one set in the present day, and the other comprising flashbacks presented vignette-style with minimal context, progressively unfolding backward in time. It may seem confusing at first, but once you grasp the logic, you come to appreciate how it brilliantly fleshes out our main character. Zakalwe is a very complex and enigmatic character. Getting to know him is my favorite part of the book. He embodies the themes of morality and redemption, which are central to the plot. The other characters don't carry significant importance, but that's not particularly consequential.
Another theme explored in the book is the mechanics of war, highlighting how, in the grand scheme of things, those actively engaged in combat, and, sadly, even those who aren't are essentially "used as weapons" (roll credits) by the powers that be. This completely shatters our character, in unforeseen ways for the reader. Banks' skill in repeatedly pulling the rug out from under the reader is truly masterful.
Use of Weapons transcends mere science fiction. It is an espionage novel, a character study with irresistible literary finesse, and it has the essence and feel of a wonderfully crafted short story anthology... all set in deep space and in one of the most dazzling universes ever depicted in literature. Banks' prose is incisive, lyrical, moving, and frequently hilarious.
Lastly, I rarely say this, but I think this would make a killer movie, if done well. It has all the ingredients to be a unique cinematic experience. Christopher Nolan or Neill Blomkamp, please get on this STAT!
henrikv's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
graslund's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
muddywookiee's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
croaker's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
informative
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
The loss of a half a star is due to a bit of a pacing issue and my personal dislike of one of the narrative structures of the book.
The book is a masterpiece. It will live rent free in my head forever.
Banks is such an amazing writer. Even when the pacing was bad or the narrative structure was annoying I was enthralled by the way he was writing it all.
The Culture is one of the best settings ever created for the SF genre. It is endlessly fascinating.
The book is a masterpiece. It will live rent free in my head forever.
Banks is such an amazing writer. Even when the pacing was bad or the narrative structure was annoying I was enthralled by the way he was writing it all.
The Culture is one of the best settings ever created for the SF genre. It is endlessly fascinating.
mwplante's review
4.0
Use of Weapons is another example of Banks in (horrifying) top form! The struture of this book stands out as well, in a body of work studded with similarly experimental layouts.
celtdrgn's review
3.0
Interesting story structure. I figured out the big plot twist a while before the author actually revealed it, but not too far in advance. Not the best Culture book so far, but still interesting.
andrew_j_r's review
3.0
The whole structure of this books is rather odd. Every other chapter tells a progressing story, whilst the others are numbered in reverse, presumably counting down to something, but also not telling the in any kind of order. Both feature our main character, Zakalwe.
I think I appreciated the odd structure once I got to the end of the book, but I did spend a lot of time when I was reading it wishing I was back in the "current" chapters rather than the flashbacks.
In the end it is rather profound, the final chapter being the icing on the cake. The Culture has never before been presented as a good or bad thing, it merely is. This book does not exactly change that, but it does ask a rather general question about how we treat people in war and if the end justifies the means. This seems to hint that it does not.
So all in all an entertaining read.
I think I appreciated the odd structure once I got to the end of the book, but I did spend a lot of time when I was reading it wishing I was back in the "current" chapters rather than the flashbacks.
In the end it is rather profound, the final chapter being the icing on the cake. The Culture has never before been presented as a good or bad thing, it merely is. This book does not exactly change that, but it does ask a rather general question about how we treat people in war and if the end justifies the means. This seems to hint that it does not.
So all in all an entertaining read.
zmull's review
4.0
Most of the earlier Banks novels are out-of-print in the US. I wanted to read them at some point, but I wasn't sure how to make that happen without paying steep overseas shipping rates. Fox told me about inter-library loans, so while I was deep in Look to Windward, I put in requests for two of the OOP Culture books, thinking that it would take a few weeks to get them. Nope, they showed up in no time. So, I've had to plow through both to get them back before they're due. (No renewels on loan books.)
A lot of the Banks sites on the internet list Use of Weapons as both his best Culture novel and as Banks' personal favorite of the bunch. Of course, most of them seem to have quit updating in 2000, therefore leaving out a number of later books. For me, this one doesn't hold a candle to Look to Windward. There are some neat style elements. Each alternating chapter focuses on two different story threads, one moving forward in time, the other moving backward. Windward had a similar fractured narrative, but wasn't as structured with it. In Weapons, the structure (and necessities of the plot) make every backward chapter feel like a short story shoehorned into the main novel.
Use of Weapons is mostly about war and a search for redemption in war's aftermath. Windward's character were all mourning and in pain, but it was handled with a more deft touch. Weapons hero is screwed up, but in a melodramatic way.
A usual sign of a good SF book is whether or not you would recommend it to a non-SF reader. Use of Weapons doesn't pass that test.
A lot of the Banks sites on the internet list Use of Weapons as both his best Culture novel and as Banks' personal favorite of the bunch. Of course, most of them seem to have quit updating in 2000, therefore leaving out a number of later books. For me, this one doesn't hold a candle to Look to Windward. There are some neat style elements. Each alternating chapter focuses on two different story threads, one moving forward in time, the other moving backward. Windward had a similar fractured narrative, but wasn't as structured with it. In Weapons, the structure (and necessities of the plot) make every backward chapter feel like a short story shoehorned into the main novel.
Use of Weapons is mostly about war and a search for redemption in war's aftermath. Windward's character were all mourning and in pain, but it was handled with a more deft touch. Weapons hero is screwed up, but in a melodramatic way.
A usual sign of a good SF book is whether or not you would recommend it to a non-SF reader. Use of Weapons doesn't pass that test.