Paperback, 368 pages
English language
Published Nov. 1, 1992 by Orbit.
Use of Weapons is a science fiction novel by Scottish writer Iain M. Banks, first published in 1990. It is the third novel in the Culture series.
Phenomenal. One of the best SF books I've ever read. I can see why so many people have told me this was their favorite of the Culture books.
I’ve tried to read this book at least twice before and bounced off. I haven’t read the previous books in the series, and though this Culture novel is reputed to be the best entry point, there is no on-ramp for the new reader.
It turns out to be a fun space adventure with an unfortunately difficult structure, featuring two-fisted mercenary Zakalwe: a professional military advisor and covert agent of the Culture.
The Culture, while peripheral to the action, is the most interesting idea present: a post-scarcity society of space wizards who are vastly powerful and vastly moral. Their disregard for physical and resource limitations locates this book in fantasy rather than science fiction.
They also provide the perfect backdrop for a character like Zakalwe: a no-nonsense military man who barks tough-guy one liners at his effete handlers and incompetent clients. Honestly, I’m a sucker for that stuff. I read Tom …
I’ve tried to read this book at least twice before and bounced off. I haven’t read the previous books in the series, and though this Culture novel is reputed to be the best entry point, there is no on-ramp for the new reader.
It turns out to be a fun space adventure with an unfortunately difficult structure, featuring two-fisted mercenary Zakalwe: a professional military advisor and covert agent of the Culture.
The Culture, while peripheral to the action, is the most interesting idea present: a post-scarcity society of space wizards who are vastly powerful and vastly moral. Their disregard for physical and resource limitations locates this book in fantasy rather than science fiction.
They also provide the perfect backdrop for a character like Zakalwe: a no-nonsense military man who barks tough-guy one liners at his effete handlers and incompetent clients. Honestly, I’m a sucker for that stuff. I read Tom Clancy books and like them.
But half of the chapters break away from the action for flashbacks to Zakalwe’s centuries-long history of warfighting. Some of those are worthwhile (like an entertaining episode where Zakalwe is briefly beheaded), but in most of them he just drinks and broods about his mysterious dark past. It all leads up a twist that the astute reader will see coming a light-year away.
So I qualify it as good, not great. There are interesting ideas and engaging scenes if you can get to them. Just be ready to skim.
Why we fight.
Use of Weapons is less sophisticated in it's use of weapons than The Player of Games.
However it is much more complicated as a narrative. I think I'll have to read it again in order to understand it all.
This is a book about war but it is not jingoistic.
As in [b:Consider Phlebas|8935689|Consider Phlebas (Culture, #1)|Iain M. Banks|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1327951890s/8935689.jpg|14366], the lines between good and evil are blurred.
Fasciating read. Too clever for its own good, in terms of plot twists. Still, I couldn't put it down and look forward to reading other Culture books.
Pretty good book, it was a little hard to get interested in the characters. That being said it was a pretty smooth read. It brings up the use of various things as weapons. Reminded me of a tactic in war time to use Money as a Weapon (MAW).
