This is my favourite Banks novel. The writing is very clever and the main character Zakalwe carefully developed. In the quiet moments the real personality shines through, the dark past is slowly revealed and the book ends with a bang. Highly recommended. ( )

This is my favourite Banks novel. The writing is very clever and the main character Zakalwe carefully developed. In the quiet moments the real personality shines through, the dark past is slowly revealed and the book ends with a bang. Highly recommended. ( )

As the cover notes state: witty and horrific. ( )

Cleverly written to unfold the the life of Special Circumstances agent Zakalwe while at the same time exposing the way the civilisation known as the Culture uses people and whole civilisations as part of their game of Rebuilding the Universe to Fit Our Standards.

I have not read any of the other novels in the Culture suite and so initially knew less than nothing about the Culture. Initially it worried me, usually I start from the beginning of a series, but I was told this could stand on it's own, and so it did.

Shockingly revealing as (one of) the end(ings) was I personally feel that it is the greater questions asked that lingers with me, after I closed the book for the last time. Questions linked with the colonial/post colonial discussion (among others who has the right to intervene, and when) but also touching issues as ethics and morality.

I highly recommend anyone who enjoy thinking about such topics to read this book, but perhaps the fragmented writing style, with constant shifts in from whose perspective the tale is told, isn't for everyone. But to me that was part of what made this book a great experience. ( )

What I love about banks is the richness of his voice, his command of the language, so unusual in science fiction authors. The tale's pretty good too. ( )