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This is a fascinating book. I always struggle a bit with world-building with sci-fi, but the comparison here with the superabundant utopia and the hierarchy-driven totalitarian Empire was really interesting. The protagonist, while reasonably likeable, seemed to me like an allegory for toxic masculinity and competitiveness - come on, we all know a bloke who wouldn't back down in a game even if it meant risking having his dick cut off.

#ReadHarder challenge 12: a book recommended by a friend with different reading tastes.

LOVED. This. Perfect balance of hard sci-fi, allegory & some great tongue in cheek humour. Looking forward to reading the rest of the Culture series!

It‘s been a long week and I‘m glad to start the weekend by finishing my January #doublespin book. This is definitely reading outside my comfort zone. It took me a long time to get into, but I‘m glad to have read it and rather intrigued by the universe where this is set but not sure I will visit it again soon. Rating it “so-so” seems a little unfair but no fan of science fiction needs me to tell them Iain Banks is one of the greats!

My #doublespin is also a book I‘ve started before and put down without finishing as I found it hard going even though it‘s interesting. I will be really impressed with myself if I finish it this time!

Finished book #3 for the #SuperSeptember #readathon. This is my first book from Iain M. Banks's Culture series -- really fascinating ideas and characters (even if many of them were unpleasant). Peter Kenny's narration of the audiobook was excellent.

@Andrew65

I really loved this book! I adore the concept of The Culture and how Banks spent the first two books effectively viewing his utopia form the outside. He manages to find ways to explore concepts like gender, society, and socialism in really fascinating ways. While not heavy with characterization this books settings and themes are absolutely fascinating and fun. Great read!

Fascinatingly adventurous.

“Why had he done it? Why couldn't it just not have happened? Why didn't they have time-travel, why couldn't he go back and stop it happening? Ships that could circumnavigate the galaxy in a few years, and count every cell in your body from light-years off, but he wasn't able to go back one miserable day and alter one tiny, stupid, idiotic, shameful #decision...”

This cover is 1000 x cooler than my cover. #QuotsyFeb18

My fav off-world sci-fi might be the early novels in Iain M. Banks‘ Culture series. I‘m also a big fan of Hitchhiker‘s, everything Ender‘s Game, Hyperion, and a billion brilliant space opera comics (Saga! Descender! Bitch Planet! Southern Cross!) but I really think Banks is underrated/overlooked given the weight of his genius. Use of Weapons & Consider Phlebas are some of the finest books I‘ve ever read, regardless of genre. #giveawayartemis

Second in the culture novels will be my second culture novel.... Errrrr, neat! :-) #TBRsomeday

Interesting take on living our world as if it were a game- and the obsessions that come from that.

#shadows #FeistyFeb @RealLifeReading

Loved this book, loved the story
All praise to a brilliant writer

If you like sci-fi and you have not read Banks then you should give him a try, he is worth it. His Culture series of which games is the second is set in a galaxy full of aliens in which mankind has become part of (and eventually the bio leaders of a faction which has embraced and granted full ...