I also have mixed feelings with Banks. I really like his idea of the Culture, but some of his books are really terrible. When I read them I enjoyed The Player of Games and Use of Weapons, but I disliked a lot Consider Phlebas and had to abandon Matter after a 20%…
I’ve only read consider Phlebas and The Player of Games and I haven’t loved either.
The ending of The Player of Games left me really unsatisfied.
spoiler
Surprise! The library drone was actually a weapons drone and it swoops in at the last possible minute to save the day! Chapter 3 is even called something like “Deus ex Machina”. Sure the player got the drone onto the fire planet using his gaming skills but the surprise “twist” just didn’t do it for me.
I also have mixed feelings with Banks. I really like his idea of the Culture, but some of his books are really terrible. When I read them I enjoyed The Player of Games and Use of Weapons, but I disliked a lot Consider Phlebas and had to abandon Matter after a 20%…
I’ve only read consider Phlebas and The Player of Games and I haven’t loved either.
The ending of The Player of Games left me really unsatisfied.
spoiler
Surprise! The library drone was actually a weapons drone and it swoops in at the last possible minute to save the day! Chapter 3 is even called something like “Deus ex Machina”. Sure the player got the drone onto the fire planet using his gaming skills but the surprise “twist” just didn’t do it for me.