BANKS/USE OF WEAPONS
Use of Weapons (The Culture)
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There is now no British SF writer to whose work I look forward with greater keenness THE TIMES In many ways his best yet... rich, vivid and great fun. VECTOR To say that Banks is Britain's best writer of science fiction would be to understate the case. He's simply one of our best novelists, whatever the genre. Read him BOOK PEOPLE At last SF as it should be written!... If you aren't as yet familiar with these works I urge you to become so at your earliest opportunity. CRITICAL WAVE
From the Publisher
Praise for Iain M. Banks
‘Banks is a phenomenon: the wildly successful, fearlessly creative author of brilliant and disturbing non-genre novels, he’s equally at home writing pure science fiction of a peculiarly gnarly energy and elegance’ WILLIAM GIBSON
‘There is now no British SF writer to whose work I look forward to with greater keenness’ THE TIMES
‘Few of us have been exposed to a talent so manifest and of such extraordinary breadth’ THE NEW YORK REVIEW OF SCIENCE FICTION
‘Poetic, humorous, baffling, terrifying, sexy - the books of Iain M. Banks are all these things and more’ NME
Also by Iain M. Banks
Consider Phlebas The Player of Games The State of the Art Against a Dark Background Feersum Endjinn Excession Inversions Look to Windward
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Customer Reviews
Most helpful customer reviews
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
By Ian Anderson
Format:Paperback
This was my first Iain M. Banks book, and as such it retains a special place in my heart because THIS was the book that caused me to fall in love with his writing (I have since gone on to buy everything he's written, both science fiction and, um, regular fiction?). I've loaned my copy, or rather my second copy as I've read the first one to pieces, to various people and they have without exception loved it and gone on to read (and one would hope buy) more of his books without prompting.
You can readily find a plot synopsis for this book elsewhere so I won't bother you with my own clumsy attempts, but I do want to say two things. First, if you have any appreciation at all for intelligent, mature, and humorous science fiction writing you will enjoy this book. Second, I am continually amazed at how side-splittingly funny the words "It's a hat" can be when taken in context.
You can readily find a plot synopsis for this book elsewhere so I won't bother you with my own clumsy attempts, but I do want to say two things. First, if you have any appreciation at all for intelligent, mature, and humorous science fiction writing you will enjoy this book. Second, I am continually amazed at how side-splittingly funny the words "It's a hat" can be when taken in context.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
By "nwc18"
Format:Mass Market Paperback
First off, a public service anouncement:
This novel (and all other Iain (M) Banks books) is still in print in the UK. If you've read his in-print stuff and can't get ahold of this, mosey over to amazon.co.uk.
Now, my two cents: This, along with Philip K. Dick's A Scanner Darkly and Orwell's 1984, is the grestest SF book ever written (my opinion, of course, but I trust it, so you should too). You could call it anti-space-opera; as an earlier reviewer said, it is the flip side to airy Star Wars style spaceship shoot-em-ups--Use of Weapons is to The Lensman Series what Apocolypse Now is to The Green Barrets.
You can't miss with Banks (except perhaps with Excession, where he's dissapeared somewhere up the Culture's Mind's arses and can't find his way out--though in the end, even that is a worthwhile read). He is a truly talented author who creates mainstream and SF masterpieces in alternating years, and you'll be doing yourself a favour by buying a book of his.
And Look to Windward, out in the UK for a year now, gets its US release in August--sign up your pre-order now!
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
By J. Coffin
Format:Paperback
I absolutely can't stand 'hard sci-fi'. Spaceships and aliens just aren't my cup of tea, which speaks to the strengths of Iain M. Banks' Culture novels. I think this is the strongest of the lot, packed with engaging characters, excellent action and fantastic worlds.
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4.2 out of 5 stars
Most recent customer reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
Worth the read
One of his best sci-fi books. The thematic plot can be difficult to follow at first until you catch on to the fact he is writing two stories from either end that will eventually... Read more
Published 16 months ago by McMalph
3.0 out of 5 stars
Something missing
Having now read a few of Banks' Culture novels, I've found myself engrossed in his science fiction universe but nonplussed with the sometimes ponderous writing style. Read more
Published 24 months ago by Norbert
3.0 out of 5 stars
Disappointing
I will express a conflicting opinion, as I have not enjoyed this book as opposed to the majority of reviewers on this site. Read more
Published on Nov 4 2010 by S. Lavigne
5.0 out of 5 stars
Blending tragedy and comedy
Iain M.Banks has clearly profited from his readings in Science Fiction. Douglas Adams for the absurd situation involving machines (the scenes on the ships that transport Sma and... Read more
Published on May 30 2002 by Ventura Angelo
5.0 out of 5 stars
one of his best
use of weapons' non-linear narrative, its complex characters, and banks' ability to come up with more and more culture combine to make this a must have for lovers of iain m. Read more
Published on Mar 6 2001 by "sessine"
5.0 out of 5 stars
What Is a Weapon?
Once again, Banks takes us to The Culture, his galaxy-spanning civilization of humans, computer Minds, asteroid-sized Ships and annihilating weapons. Ah yes, weapons. Read more
Published on Jan 2 2001 by James D. DeWitt
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Real Mind Bender . . .
Okay, I first happened upon this book in a book store closing--fifty cents. Penny for penny this remains perhaps the best quality novel I've read in the Sci Fi genre. Read more
Published on Sep 9 2000 by B. Wilson
2.0 out of 5 stars
A plot timeline is NOT a pretzel!
This could have been an engaging novel had the timeline not resembled a particularly tangled ball of yarn. Read more
Published on Jun 8 2000 by Stephen Christian
4.0 out of 5 stars
Amazing, breathtaking, and utterly readable
Ahh yes, welcome back to the Culture. This utopian communist society where robots rule and serve humans, who are just so much dead weight when compared to the awesome Minds. Read more
Published on May 18 2000 by Luke Wood
5.0 out of 5 stars
Maybe the best SF book I've read...
Banks is simply one of the best SF writers around -- there are alot of SF writers who are good storytellers, but Banks is also a GOOD WRITER. That's rare. Read more
Published on May 16 2000 by "tony1c"
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