Consider Phlebas

Allegra said:
So AE, what are you waiting for? Move on to The Player of Games, and then Use of Weapons! The endings are all brilliant (especially UoW - it'll knock you off your chair), so as the begginings, and everything in between... But Banks' endings are just so, so...tasteful. :)
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Well i have to wait till any become available on bookmooch. My library probably won't have one(tho i might have a look when i go to pick matthew up from nursery in a tick)
But i might stick to short stories until i have more time to read a big novel-this one i started in mid march!
 
Hmm... patience, patience. Wouldn't have such trivial problems if we lived in the Culture.:D
 
Allegra said:
Hmm... patience, patience. Wouldn't have such trivial problems if we lived in the Culture.:D
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I tend to find that if I take too long to read a book,a chapter here,a chapter there,I forget parts of it,or character names etc. I'm more used to reading in long stretches,50-100 pages at a time but I don't have that kind of time now I have kids. Years ago I would borrow a book from the library,sit and read it till finished,take it back then get another one out.
 
I'd recommend the Player of Games. I think that it's the most accessable of the culture books. Personally, i think that this is the best book that i have ever read. Great Premise, great characters, great ending.
 
Rodders said:
I'd recommend the Player of Games. I think that it's the most accessable of the culture books. Personally, i think that this is the best book that i have ever read. Great Premise, great characters, great ending.
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Well eventually I will read them all,as well as his story collection. I feel Banks is an author to watch!
 
I think that he seems to be coming away from the Culture. I haven't heard anything.
 
Yes and i stand by it. I also really enjoyed Look to Windward.

What didn't you like bobbo?
 
OK. Haha. I misunderstood what you were trying to say.
 
Finished this a couple weeks ago. Decent enough. I'm hoping Use of Weapons is better though because I've heard as much and I already have it.
 
I put this one down after about page 50. Too thick with different unrelated junk.
 
I'm re-reading this one at the moment. Whilst the book gets pretty dense, especially at the beginning, none of it is unrelated, I can assure you.

I must admit though, this one is maybe less enjoyable the second time around. Can't put my finger on it, maybe I find the pirates a bit non-dimensional and the eaters a bit ridiculous. Dunno.
 
I enjoyed reading Consider Phlebas but feel that both Player Of Games and Use of Weapons are magnitudes better books - better written, tighter...and especially UoW...deeper.

I also don't think there's any special reason to read CP first. The Culture novels aren't a serial and there's no continuing stories. I usually recommend neophytes start with Player of Games, since it's fairly straightforward (for a IMB novel) and serves as an excellent intro to the Culture universe. In fact, almost any of them are stand alones.
 
I happen to be reading this right now. I'm more of a fantasy person, but I don't mind this at all. It's a good story, fast paced and easy to read and digest. I had assumed that all the books were serial, I'm sort of sad they are not. I'm going to miss Horza.
 
gully_foyle said:
I'm re-reading this one at the moment. Whilst the book gets pretty dense, especially at the beginning, none of it is unrelated, I can assure you.

I must admit though, this one is maybe less enjoyable the second time around. Can't put my finger on it, maybe I find the pirates a bit non-dimensional and the eaters a bit ridiculous. Dunno.
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The only think I didn't like were the eaters. Something in that whole scene ...

But I think the pirates were great. I've read the book a dozen times (about once every one or two years) and I found I enjoyed it just as much as the first time. Of course, knowing where the eaters are and just skipping those pages helps ...
 
You know I read this book a little ways back with high hopes and it really turned me off to the series. I've read that Player of Games has a very different feel to it. Is this true because I might give it another try if Phlebas is something of an anomaly in the series.
 
Bruno F says all i could say.

I might add i felt bad for the pirates. several good characters were wiped before you got to know them.. but that is much like real life no?

Wu
 
and yes use of weapons is a tighter story.. followed by games and phlebas.

Such a good writer.. especially when you have read wasp factory
 
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