ZedLeg wrote: ↑Thu Aug 01, 2019 3:33 pm
Swervin_Mervin wrote: ↑Thu Aug 01, 2019 3:18 pm
Just finished The Gameplayer by Banks. Only the 2nd one of his Culture books I've read, and the 4th or 5th of his wider work. The first I've read in a long time as well, and I really enjoyed it once it got going.
The Player of Games? I've read that one and thought it was great, the whole set up of the tournament at the end was brilliant.
I've read a couple of his other ones, Consider Phlebas and The Algebraist. Keep meaning to read more but there's always other books in the pile.
Read
Excession. It's huge fun and deals with the issue of a potential threat that seems to stump even the Culture. Large chunks of it surround the ships of the series (sentient, massive, self replicating hunks of sarcasm for the most part) so you know it's good.
The usual example given to illustrate an Outside Context Problem was imagining you were a tribe on a largish, fertile island; you'd tamed the land, invented the wheel or writing or whatever, the neighbors were cooperative or enslaved but at any rate peaceful and you were busy raising temples to yourself with all the excess productive capacity you had, you were in a position of near-absolute power and control which your hallowed ancestors could hardly have dreamed of and the whole situation was just running along nicely like a canoe on wet grass... when suddenly this bristling lump of iron appears sailless and trailing steam in the bay and these guys carrying long funny-looking sticks come ashore and announce you've just been discovered, you're all subjects of the Emperor now, he's keen on presents called tax and these bright-eyed holy men would like a word with your priests.
Use of Weapons is also a top read and set out extremely well (and in a way that you appreciate when you get to the end).
Stick 'em on your list to read if you enjoy the culture stuff, they're two of the best.