Consider Phlebas
(Culture #1)
by Iain M. Banks
science fiction, space opera
copyright 1987
read in February 2016
rated 6/10: read to pass the time
It's a toss-up, that rating. Six out of ten ? Or five, readable but only if there's nothing else... Yeah, sure, he's a famous (science fiction) author. Doesn't make his books any better.
Phlebas is a series of set pieces. A small group of space "privateers" going to weird and wonderful worlds and killing people. And being killed. Some of the set pieces help to develop the plot. Others seem there to demonstrate some new -- largely irrelevant -- aspect of the universe. Nothing wrong with that. Quite fun, in fact.
Despite the regular action scenes... the book sometimes drags. In particular, the slow motion, detailed descriptions, go on too long. How long do I want to read about a character running fast to keep ahead of a gradually being crushed gigantic ship ?!
And then... the book is ultimately pointless.
There are interludes, where clever people think deep thoughts. Ho hum. So what. Could be scene-setting for "The Culture". Adds nothing to this story.
The action scenes use super-high technology. Other than that it's wild west shoot-em-ups. Full marks for the imaginative technology.
Though I'm not sure why the man in a space suit is afraid of drowning... He is, after all, in a space suit -- with a sealable helmet and self-contained air supply. Yes, there's a hole in the leg of the space suit... Just put on the helmet and turn the air up high !
All this action, technology and drawn out melodrama... then ends in misery.
Here's a spoiler: Three characters survive. Two are AIs. The third goes immediately into suspension then wakes up -- just to commit suicide.
Action, technology and a miserable ending.
Don't worry, though. I didn't like any of the characters enough to be upset when they died.
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