Review: Consider Phlebas
Consider Phlebas by Iain M. BanksMy rating: 2 of 5 stars
Consider Phelbas was a difficult book to make it through. I found the plot twisted and disjointed at times, almost like a jumbled collection of short stories loosely linked by a common character. I found Horza's character a confusing cipher as the author explored the different sides of the culture war because of Horza's almost middle ground in the conflict. Yes, he was against the Culture and working for the Idirians, but I was never able to put my finger directly on why he was against the Culture, other than his dislike of the 'Minds.' I found the author's use of AI in his construction of the Minds intriguing and honestly, my interest in the Minds was what got me through the rest of the twisted subplots. All in all, an interesting read, but I'm not overly inclined to read more of this author's work, although I probably will because it's possible Consider Phelbas just wasn't my cup of tea.
Royce Sears
www.roycesears.com
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"Consider Phlebas" is one of the odd beasts of the Culture books (also "Inversions"). The other books are not like "Consider Phlebas". Try giving "The Player of Games" a go - much shorter, more straightforward and a more tightly written, streamlined story.
ReplyDeleteI'm looking forward to tackling "The Player of Games." Thank you for the recommendation!
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