HomeGroupsTalkMoreZeitgeist
Search Site
This site uses cookies to deliver our services, improve performance, for analytics, and (if not signed in) for advertising. By using LibraryThing you acknowledge that you have read and understand our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. Your use of the site and services is subject to these policies and terms.

Results from Google Books

Click on a thumbnail to go to Google Books.

Loading...

Use of Weapons (1990)

by Iain M. Banks

Other authors: See the other authors section.

Series: The Culture (3)

MembersReviewsPopularityAverage ratingConversations / Mentions
5,4171431,904 (4.02)1 / 209
Fiction. Science Fiction. HTML:

The man known as Cheradenine Zakalwe was one of Special Circumstances' foremost agents, changing the destiny of planets to suit the Culture through intrigue, dirty tricks and military action.

The woman known as Diziet Sma had plucked him from obscurity and pushed him towards his present eminence, but despite all their dealings she did not know him as well as she thought.
The drone known as Skaffen-Amtiskaw knew both of these people. It had once saved the woman's life by massacring her attackers in a particularly bloody manner. It believed the man to be a lost cause. But not even its machine could see the horrors in his past.
Ferociously intelligent, both witty and horrific, USE OF WEAPONS is a masterpiece of science fiction.

.… (more)
  1. 40
    Gridlinked by Neal Asher (goodiegoodie)
  2. 62
    Chasm City by Alastair Reynolds (EatSleepChuck)
  3. 30
    Hard to be a god by Arkady Strugatsky (prezzey)
    prezzey: Banks seems to have been inspired by the Strugatskys' concept of Progressors. Similar theme, different perspective (Western vs Eastern bloc) - if you liked one, you will probably be interested in the other.
  4. 31
    The Skinner by Neal Asher (goodiegoodie)
  5. 21
    Hyperion by Dan Simmons (TarsolyGer)
  6. 00
    A Deepness in the Sky by Vernor Vinge (TarsolyGer)
Loading...

Sign up for LibraryThing to find out whether you'll like this book.

» See also 209 mentions

English (137)  Spanish (2)  French (2)  Italian (2)  All languages (143)
Showing 1-5 of 137 (next | show all)
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. ( )
  roguelike | Feb 4, 2024 |
For the most part, I dislike narratives that jump up and down the story's timeframe. It usually strikes me as the author just trying to prove how clever he/she is. Banks managed to avoid irritating me in that regard (mostly) in Use of Weapons. This was an enjoyable read, but now that it is over I am somewhat surprised to reflect on how little actually happened in the book. I guess that speaks well of Banks' narrative skill. I will definitely be reading more of his stuff, but not back-to-back like I did with this and Matter ( )
  Treebeard_404 | Jan 23, 2024 |
Vaguely interesting but I didn't really relate to any of the characters -- it never pulled me in. I really enjoyed Player of Games but haven't liked the other Culture books nearly as much so far (just Consider Phlebas and this one). They seem to be big on trying to shock the reader, but the characters aren't real enough to make it land; plus that's not something I'm really interested in seeing in a book anyway, especially not repeatedly and to the same end each time. ( )
  stardustwisdom | Dec 31, 2023 |
This is definitely my favorite of the Culture series so far. ( )
  JBarringer | Dec 15, 2023 |
Hmmm, this might be a book to reread rather than to read. Certainly its parallel structure and complicated chronology make it feel like a bit of an effort at some points. I do worry that the plot is a bit convoluted in service of the reveals; perhaps I will reread it. After the rarefied platonic Culture on display in Player of Games, this is back to some full-blooded action and derring-do. On the other hand, most of this feels like very soft sci-fi — the aliens feel very contemporary and Western. A mixed bag overall, but very interesting. ( )
  thisisstephenbetts | Nov 25, 2023 |
Showing 1-5 of 137 (next | show all)
no reviews | add a review

» Add other authors (5 possible)

Author nameRoleType of authorWork?Status
Banks, Iain M.primary authorall editionsconfirmed
Acevedo, David CruzTranslatorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
BlacksheepCover artistsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Bonhorst, IreneÜbersetzersecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
COLLON, HéléneTraductionsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Cruz, DavidTranslatorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Kenny, PeterNarratorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Keynäs, VilleTranslatorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Klein, GérardPréfacesecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Louhio, EevaCover artistsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
MacLeod, KenIntroductionsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Nicolazzini, P.Cover artistsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Salwowski, MarkCover artistsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Solé Plaza, AlbertTranslatorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Thomsen, John TheodorTranslatorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Totth, BenedekTranslatorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Walotsky, RonCover artistsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Youll,PaulCover artistsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Zuddas, G.Traduttoresecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
You must log in to edit Common Knowledge data.
For more help see the Common Knowledge help page.
Canonical title
Original title
Alternative titles
Original publication date
People/Characters
Important places
Information from the Hungarian Common Knowledge. Edit to localize it to your language.
Important events
Related movies
Epigraph
Dedication
For Mic
First words
“Tell me, what is happiness?” (Prologue)
She made her way through the turbine hall, surrounded by an ever-changing ring of friends, admirers and animals – nebula to her attractive focus – talking to her guests, giving instructions to her staff, making suggestions and offering compliments to the many and various entertainers. (One)
Dust as usual followed them, though the young man said several times he thought it might rain. (Epilogue)
Quotations
You might call them soft, because they’re very reluctant to kill, and they might agree with you, but they’re soft the way the ocean is soft, and, well; ask any sea captain how harmless and puny the ocean can be.
Last words
(Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)
(Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)
(Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)
Disambiguation notice
Publisher's editors
Blurbers
Original language
Canonical DDC/MDS
Canonical LCC

References to this work on external resources.

Wikipedia in English (1)

Fiction. Science Fiction. HTML:

The man known as Cheradenine Zakalwe was one of Special Circumstances' foremost agents, changing the destiny of planets to suit the Culture through intrigue, dirty tricks and military action.

The woman known as Diziet Sma had plucked him from obscurity and pushed him towards his present eminence, but despite all their dealings she did not know him as well as she thought.
The drone known as Skaffen-Amtiskaw knew both of these people. It had once saved the woman's life by massacring her attackers in a particularly bloody manner. It believed the man to be a lost cause. But not even its machine could see the horrors in his past.
Ferociously intelligent, both witty and horrific, USE OF WEAPONS is a masterpiece of science fiction.

.

No library descriptions found.

Book description
Haiku summary

Current Discussions

None

Popular covers

Quick Links

Rating

Average: (4.02)
0.5 3
1 13
1.5 3
2 58
2.5 14
3 255
3.5 79
4 559
4.5 72
5 490

Is this you?

Become a LibraryThing Author.

Orbit Books

2 editions of this book were published by Orbit Books.

Editions: 185723135X, 0316030570

Hachette Book Group

An edition of this book was published by Hachette Book Group.

» Publisher information page

 

About | Contact | Privacy/Terms | Help/FAQs | Blog | Store | APIs | TinyCat | Legacy Libraries | Early Reviewers | Common Knowledge | 202,661,960 books! | Top bar: Always visible