Inversions by Iain M. Banks

[Sally Ann Melia]

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I have read all of Iain M Banks books, and I read Inversions the year after it was first published in 1999, and it has stayed with me ever since.

This is a Culture book. To recap The ten books of the Culture are: Consider Phlebas, 1987; The Player of Games,1988; Use of Weapons, 1990; The State of the Art, 1991; Excession, 1996; Inversions, 1998; Look to Windward,2000; Matter,2008; Surface Detail, 2010; The Hydrogen Sonata, 2012.

Inversions tells two stories. The first is the story of the Doctor and the King. The Doctor you know from the start is a Culture citizen, and she has a whole of host of Culture magic tricks which in addition to a good bed side manner she uses to keep her King well. The second story is one of the opponents of the King, those who are trying to dispose him. The story is not as connected as you would think, and only comes to a climax towards the very end.

I was strong drawn to the character of the Doctor, who was another of Iain M Banks strong female characters, and I enjoyed reading her tale. The other story was a little more complex, but intriguing with some colourful characters.

An interesting tale of Culture intervening in less developed societies.

 

[The Judge]

I read this before any of the Culture books and so wasn't aware of it being part of the Culture universe, and it is very much a stand-alone affair. That said, it did become obvious that the doctor was likely an alien to the planet-inhabitants, with ideas and resources far beyond those encountered there, and with hindsight -- having now read some Culture books -- it's clear that she's part of it.

I enjoyed the book, but I felt that as a novel it rather lost something as there wasn't a greater link between the two narratives, and we are shown no connection between the doctor and the bodyguard, another Culture incomer who lives in the opposing country and who is there -- so we are to presume -- because he and the doctor had previously argued how best to improve the lot of societies which are un-Cultured.

 

[Gramm838]

The bodyguard as another culture operative? I never picked that up from the book!

I thought it was quite a clever book - a bit of an extension of the 'Starfleet hidden behind holo walls watching emerging cultures' scenario. the fact tha the Culture only shows itself when it needs to, to defend the Doctor, was quite clever.

 

[The Judge]

The bodyguard as another culture operative? I never picked that up from the book!

I think so. I certainly recall he tells stories (?to the little boy?) one of which is about two friends arguing how best to help developing societies, which I took to be the connection between the two narratives, but as I say, I'd have liked a stronger link there, as to me even with that, it was simply two separate stories inhabiting the same book.

With the caveat I knew nothing about the Culture universe when I read it, my memory is rather the two of them are there in individual capacities, because of their argument/bet, rather than acting on behalf of the Culture, but I don't know enough about the Culture's first contact rules to know if that's feasible.

 

[Vertigo]

Regarding the Bodyguard: both the Doctor and the Bodyguard were clearly from the Culture and had been intimately close before coming to the planet of the book. As indicated by the extended story the bodyguard tells to the boy and some of the hints dropped by the Doctor. So yes both of them!

My (new) thoughts:

This is my second reading of Inversions as part of a complete reread of all Banks’s Culture books. It is presented as two parallel but linked stories set in a late medieval civilisation in which, as is its custom, the Culture is taking an interest and seeking to influence its development. However as far as the Culture and science fiction go that’s about it; such aspects really only appear by implication rather than fact, especially as both the (unreliable) narrators of the two threads are indigenous locals rather than the citizens of the Culture.

Now I don’t deny that this is a Culture book, nor do I deny that it gives a possibly important insight into the Culture, but as someone who loves science fiction and is, nowadays, at best ambivalent to fantasy I found this story as difficult to warm to as I did the first time around. Yes, it is Banks writing and, of course, he writes well so the book is engagingly well written, but it just doesn’t work for me.

I really don’t think any reader of Banks’s Culture books would lose anything by skipping this one, but if you like medieval settings (without magic!) as well as Banks’s Culture science fiction then fine, you’ll probably enjoy this.

3/5 stars

 

[The Judge]

I was thinking I'd like to re-read this, now I know a bit more about the Culture, to see what clues I missed along the way.

 

[Vertigo]

I was thinking I'd like to re-read this, now I know a bit more about the Culture, to see what clues I missed along the way.

There weren't all that many to be honest. The most obvious being the doctor's worn out old 'dagger' and the most significant probably the bodyguard, DeWar's, story to the young boy Lattens.

 

[The Judge]

Was the "dagger" the thing that took off by itself and killed the would-be rapist? For some reason I was remembering the weapon as jewels that disappeared. Anyhow, if it was, then I'd already picked up both clues, then, so yay for me! Still might re-read it, though, just for the story, as I enjoy fantasy far more than you do.

 

[Vertigo]

Was the "dagger" the thing that took off by itself and killed the would-be rapist? For some reason I was remembering the weapon as jewels that disappeared. Anyhow, if it was, then I'd already picked up both clues, then, so yay for me! Still might re-read it, though, just for the story, as I enjoy fantasy far more than you do.

I'm not sure if this needs a spoiler warning or not. Culture readers would guess it (as you have) and non Culture readers would probably put it down to some sort of magic! But...

Spoiler

Yes the dagger was, presumably, a Culture 'knife missile" though I confess the missing and reappearing jewel from the pmmel still leaves me a little confused. It acted in both potential rape scenes. There are other smaller clues like the poison the doctor used in the torture chamber and then 'tasted' herself to prove it wasn't poison; of course her nanites will have neutralised the poison but necessitating her saying later to Oelph when he was about to taste it ‘I wouldn’t, Oelph, if I were you. Just put the top back on carefully.’ But there were many other subtle, and less so, hints throughout.

 

[Brian G Turner]

if you like medieval settings (without magic!) as well as ... science fiction

That was my aim for 1: Gathering, and picked up Inversions as research in case it could inspire in some way. However, I didn't get far into Inversions - the mediaeval part just didn't feel anywhere near enough mediaeval - and it was lacking all those little details common in historical fiction and some fantasy novels.

 

[hitmouse]

Isn’t there a scene where the doctor arrives late for a meeting and apologises, saying something like:”Sorry, I was delayed by special circumstances.”

 

[Vertigo]

Isn’t there a scene where the doctor arrives late for a meeting and apologises, saying something like:”Sorry, I was delayed by special circumstances.”

Yes although not quite in the place you remember:

Spoiler

I have just done a search of the whole book and "special circumstances" actually occurs only once at the end when the Doctor disappears from the ship she is returning 'home' on: "One of the other passengers remarked they had not been able to wake the Doctor to come to see the display in the first place, though nobody thought much of this - the Doctor had been invited to dine with the vessel’s captain that evening, but had sent a note declining the invitation, citing an indisposition due to special circumstances."