Use of Weapons

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Iain M. Banks: Use of Weapons (Hardcover, 1990, Orbit)

Hardcover, 352 pages

Published Feb. 11, 1990 by Orbit.

ISBN:
978-0-356-19160-7
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4 stars (11 reviews)

Use of Weapons is a science fiction novel by Scottish writer Iain M. Banks, first published in 1990. It is the third novel in the Culture series.

9 editions

Review of 'Use of Weapons (Culture, #3)' on 'Goodreads'

4 stars

So, back to the Culture re-read. I kind of moved off it because I knew this one was next and I am always being told it is the best Culture novel. I didn't want to re-read it and find my previous impression of 'it's decent, but not the best' to be confirmed. And lo and behold, that's exactly what happened.
The themes of this one are the futility of searches for redemption and the futility of war. Pretty strong stuff and they come across very strongly in the book, provoking some thoughtful musing.
The Culture is Bank's so-called utopian society. Wilfully misinterpreted by deranged billionaires everywhere. For example, Banks is clear its the AI's that call the shots in the Culture and the humans are largely kept as pets. This book holds somewhat as a dark mirror up to the Culture as it is told from the perspective of one …

Review of 'Use of Weapons (Culture, #3)' on 'Goodreads'

4 stars

thoroughly enjoyed ‘Use of Weapons’ and would place it on par with ‘Player of Games’. I am, in truth, not so keen on guns-blazing sci-fi, so my enjoyment of ‘Use of Weapons’ was tempered by those aspects, though I enjoyed the anti-war sentiments it entertained in the books later stages. There was little political intrigue, and the book focused heavily on the character of Zakalwe, his psychology, his history, and on the various conflicts he had been active in – but his character is far from shallow. He is no token heroic figure. It was this aspect that I enjoyed the most – attempting to understand why Zakalwe functioned the way that he did, and Banks did a fantastic job of adding complexity to this main character without revealing too much. I was kept guessing right up until the end.

Banks also does a fantastic job of giving a sense …