Consider Phlebas
by Iain M. Banks
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Book Reviews of Consider Phlebas
Book Review: To Make A Short Story Long
Summary: 3 Stars
I read and enjoyed Use of Weapons a few months ago, so I thought I'd start The Culture series from the beginning. I like long reads, but I was taken aback by how much Banks learned about storytelling between Consider Phlebas and Use of Weapons. Both are long, but Use of Weapons is a real long story while Consider Phlebas is a kind of space opera shaggy dog story--a short story that goes on interminably. It bored the pants off me, though not enough to make me stop reading it. NONE of the characters are memorable, and the storyline is old hat. Nevertheless, the Iridans are interesting, and the set-up of The Culture is useful if I'm going to forge ahead in the hope I'll find another entry in the series to match Use of Weapons in mood and intellect. I've already decided not to read all the entries, and not in order. I'll read descriptions and reviews to try to figure out which Culture novel to read next. There doesn't seem to be any order to them, and I'm already on to the possibility that Banks's growth as a writer weight my choices toward the latter entries.
Eric Hammel
Author of Love and Grace
Book Review: I'm not used to hard SF, so...
Summary: 3 Stars
...I'm not sure how valid my points are about the sf in this book, but from a layperson's perspective, I found them fascinating. The gargantuan scope of Banks's universe is gripping and vast, where the scale of everything from an idea to a galaxy is handled with masterful control. Although some concepts are a bit dated, for the most part even the wildest ideas are exhilarating in the truest sense of 'space opera.'
What doesn't work as well is the actual story, or, rather, the pseudo-parallel stories of Horza and his gang and the strange female character Fal 'Ngeestra who seems to be guiding and/or controlling Horza's fate. Horza's mission, tied up in a brutal war between an alien species and 'the Culture,' or, evolved mankind, is simple enough, but the course of action he takes (or is forced to take) is meandering at best. The story is the most fun when Banks describes some impossible space scenario, wrought with gunfire and fighting; it loses considerable steam when things get metaphysical or slow down thanks to somewhat boring plot elements.
Book Review: The Blockbuster Syndrome
Summary: 1 Stars
Several of the negative reviewers have remarked that "nothing happens" in this book. Actually, although I can understand why they feel this way, the fact is that this book is about nothing more than "things happening." However, it feels subjectively as though nothing is happening because the characters have no depth. Horza is a lab-rat responding to stimuli. Is he actually a person with thoughts and feelings? Nothing above the most superficial. The author himself is focused on nothing but the externals: impressive technologies, fight scenes, war, social concepts, and torture. At the end, it seems as though "nothing has happened" because no actual person seems to have deeply experienced anything or learned from anything. Banks' writing style, mechanically speaking, is not bad, but his vision is completely superficial. It reminds me of the current trend for big, garish, special-effects blockbuster movies to take over the cineplexes and crowd out anything thoughtful. Will science fiction writing suffer the same idiotic fate? I hope not!Book Review: Wade through the dross to get to the Culture
Summary: 3 Stars
Let's be blunt. The first 60% of this novel is utter dross and predictable dross at that. It's painfully obvious what's going to happen but still we have to wade through 280 pages of it to get to the true space opera that this novel is all about. If I was at the cinema I'd be well and truly asleep by then. Luckily this book can be read in instalments over a longer period than a movie so I managed to get past that and to the remaining 40%. That last part is fast moving, enthralling, well written and a good introduction to the Culture universe.
Shame about the rest. This is my second Culture novel and fourth Ian Banks novel. I'm sad to say it'll be my last as there are too many good books out there and too little time to waste trudging through the mire to get to the good stuff.
My recommendation on the Culture series - read The Player of Games and leave it at that. Better to spend your time reading true scifi like Neuromancer, Starship Troopers, Farenheit 451 Review: Great begining to the Culture
Summary: 4 Stars Like others have said this book is either hit or miss with most readers however for me it was a big hit.
Banks takes us on a while ride through a universe as wide and large as any ever imagined where technology has advanced beyond all else and the Culture is content to let the machines (MIND) rule over them. However where as in some books this would be a nightmare in Banks creation it seems borderline heaven.
Still, not all is well and war is still needed to protect that which is most valuable and keep those in its charge happy.
As we follow the plot of saving a lost Mind we get to go on a romp through this universe that was amazing and frankly much better than the Algebraist.
I think the only real negative I felt is that the war was wrapped up with a quick blurb in the end and I would have rather seen that as a separate story.
However, for anyone who loves a good read and slice of a world experience this book is for you.