Use of Weapons

Culture Series, Book 3

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Use of Weapons

By: Iain M. Banks

Narrated by: Peter Kenny

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About this listen

The novels of Iain M. Banks have forever changed the face of modern science fiction. His Culture books combine breathtaking imagination with exceptional storytelling, and have secured his reputation as one of the most extraordinary and influential writers in the genre.

'Banks is a phenomenon' William Gibson

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

Though the woman known as Diziet Sma had plucked him from obscurity and aided his stratospheric rise, she did not know him as well as she thought.

The drone Skaffen-Amtiskaw thought it knew both of these people. It had once saved the woman's life by massacring her attackers, and it believed the man to be a burnt-out wreck - but not even its superlative machine-intelligence could see the horrors in his past.

Praise for the Culture series:

'Epic in scope, ambitious in its ideas and absorbing in its execution' Independent on Sunday

'Banks has created one of the most enduring and endearing visions of the future' Guardian

'Banks's sci-fi, at its best, is staggeringly inventive, beautifully written, dramatic and often very funny. His stories are packed with ideas, warships with minds very much of their own, alien races, charismatic drones and intergalactic politics' New Scientist

'Jam-packed with extraordinary invention' Scotsman

'Compulsive reading' Sunday Telegraph

The Culture series:
Consider Phlebas
The Player of Games
Use of Weapons
Excession
Inversions
Look to Windward
Matter
Surface Detail
The Hydrogen Sonata
The State of the Art

Other books by Iain M. Banks:
Against a Dark Background
Feersum Endjinn
The Algebraist

Also now available:
The Culture: The Drawings - an extraordinary collection of original illustrations faithfully reproduced from sketchbooks Banks kept in the 1970s and 80s, depicting the ships, habitats, geography, weapons and language of Banks' Culture series of novels in incredible detail.©1990 Iain M. Banks (P)2012 Hachette Digital

Science Fiction

Space Opera

Fiction

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Banks shines again in creating an incredibly deep world in the Culture series. Although at times the composition of the two story lines can be slightly confusing, the way the two sections (Chapters and Numerals) create depth to the main characters is typical of Banks’ stellar ability in world building and character focus in a huge universe.
There is increased darkness to this story, with heavy themes throughout and some horrid imagery, more so than his previous works.
The ending could possibly be explained more deeply, however it is probably worth a second listen to fully understand the nuance to the eventual twist.
Kenny does, as usual, an amazing job at bringing the characters to life. His use of accents and voices is outstanding. Can’t wait to listen to the next in the series, I only wish there were more stories of some of Banks’ current characters.