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3.55 AVERAGE
3.55 AVERAGE
The world created by Banks shows huge potential, with interesting characters, fancy tech and mind-blowing cultural / social developments.
However I did not like the spacial descriptions in the book. They're overly complex and long and I at least found it hard to create a clear picture in my mind after reading them.
The story also focuses too much on the action surrounding the main character, only just teasing parts of the incredibly interesting world around him. The main character also gets away too easily from too many critical situations.
All in all, it's a good read, that made me get the next book in the Culture series and so far, it's been a very good decision as I'm enjoying it.
However I did not like the spacial descriptions in the book. They're overly complex and long and I at least found it hard to create a clear picture in my mind after reading them.
The story also focuses too much on the action surrounding the main character, only just teasing parts of the incredibly interesting world around him. The main character also gets away too easily from too many critical situations.
All in all, it's a good read, that made me get the next book in the Culture series and so far, it's been a very good decision as I'm enjoying it.
This was a fun book, and a nice intro to what I'm told is a really cool setting and series. It didn't seem outstanding in itself, good fun sci-fi, but didn't seem too deep. Weirdly scatalaogical with a really unlikeable protagonist, but it has a lot of fun set pieces, cool concepts and a really fun DnD vibe towards the end.
I'm told other books in the series are better but this one certainly isn't bad.
A it over horny.
I'm told other books in the series are better but this one certainly isn't bad.
A it over horny.
struggled with this! Wanted it to be more about like How Alien Cultures Interact and the human toll of war or.. something.. maybe the series will be like this later but this book felt much more like wacky space hijinks which I was ok with up until about 60% in, and then during the entire last part on the planet i was just bored. Too bad!!
This is just another space opera and, as the genre often does, it just goes all over the place, losing the plot. I thought maybe this would be cool and it came so highly recommended but a fifth into the book and I can’t tell the difference between this and the countless other space operas out there.
mixed feelings on it but my understanding is that the books get better so I'll probably read some of those eventually
Okay so it did seem to jump from one situation to another, but the sheer creativity and action packed-ness of each chapter of the adventure more than made up for it.
Great world building and thoroughly enjoyable. Feels a little here and there in terms of plot structure, but really makes me want to read the rest.
I really enjoyed this, but sometimes his descriptions go on for so long, and some of the scenes seem unnecessary. Still, it's a fun series and I look forward to reading the rest.
adventurous
funny
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated