I am majorly disappointed in this one. The first Culture books are truly amongst my favourites. They have always been a source of great excitement and intellectual stimulation for me. However, this particular installment is very flaky. The plot seems to lack substance and coherence, making it quite confusing to follow. Moreover, it is a trifle boring. There are long stretches where not much seems to be happening, and the characters do not engage me as they did in the previous books.

Nevertheless, I will continue with the series. I have invested so much time and effort in getting to know the Culture universe that I am reluctant to give up now. I am hoping that the next book will be a return to form and will recapture the magic that made the first few books so special. But for now, this was a struggle to get through, and I can only hope that things will improve in the future.

WATCH OUT, SPOILERS! But I will try to keep things vague.

The name of the game is Influence. You're a good progressive super-society. You don't want to interfere too much, just enough, in the small but important ways that will put this little not-so-super-society onto the right path. On the path towards respect for life and individual liberty, away from domination and plutocracy. You want to work from the outside, subtly, whispering in this ear, supporting that action, slowly moving and manipulating things in the right direction so that things end up just right. Of course, you can't do it yourself. That would be too obvious. So you employ an agent. You have suspicions about this agent, but in the end, it does appear that your goals align. However, what you don't know is that the agent in question is playing his own game, and the name of that game is Self-Abnegation.

If you are about to read this book, please keep in mind this note about its structure: Use of Weapons employs two narratives in alternating chapters. The first narrative moves forward in time. The second narrative is composed of flashbacks in reverse-chronological order. Plus a prologue and two epilogues that occur entirely outside of the narrative.

SECRET RAMBLINGS: I have this sick side of me that I rarely let out of its locked room. Much like The Culture, I'm a good progressive, against violence and pro-humanism. Let's talk it out, understand the context, realize that there are no true binaries, and we are just humans moving forward together. Yeah, yeah, yeah, I truly believe that. And yet this sick side of me lurks, wanting to not just be a decent human being but also to smite my reactionary foes. And not just smite: hurt. I want to punish them for what they've done, and I want that punishment to be painful, emotional, physical, and fucking traumatic - at least as traumatic as what they've visited on their victims. And then I want to kill them. That's not too attractive in general, so I'm rather shy about letting these thoughts surface in public. Instead, I just donate annually to places like The Center for Justice & Accountability, which is all about punishing these motherfuckers who think they can torture and slaughter at will and then slink away into the shadows.

Iain Banks definitely understands this side of me because he clearly has this side to himself as well. (And I'm going to persist in referring to him in the present tense because authors are immortal as far as I'm concerned.) This side of Banks has popped up in every novel I've read by the man. He wants to be a righteous, bloodthirsty avenger too. Fortunately, he knows that nothing is ever simple and straightforward. If a person feels this way, wants to do these things, wants to break the unjust upon the wheel of justice - then maybe there's something about them/him/me that is broken too. Banks is definitely not the type of host who is going to make you your favorite cake and then let you eat it too. He'll let you have a few bites but then smash your face right into it.

Okay, the novel itself. In a word: brilliant. The characters are interesting and sympathetic. The structure is absorbingly complex. Nearly half of the novel is composed of separate mini-adventures in various locales with a changing set of premises and characters. These almost-short stories are wonderful to read, especially if you can slow down and take them as they are: separate adventures. But they are all part of a whole; their inclusion is not random. They share similar themes such as the futility of trying to achieve true justice, understand human nature, or find meaning in history or an individual's actions. That's a lot of futility, but Banks makes these little adventures so thoughtful, moving, and often ambiguous that the futility is masked by the pleasure of witnessing an author at the height of his powers construct a multi-leveled story telling many stories simultaneously.

The overarching narrative itself is quite compelling but rather half-baked as well. Banks clearly doesn't have much interest in creating a story with satisfying resolutions and triumphant climaxes. He creates a thesis and then explores it, expands upon it; creating a cohesive or emotionally satisfying story is a subordinate goal. His theses will always dominate his narratives. At the end of Use of Weapons, the reader learns that everything is cyclical and will happen again and again. Societies will hurt their citizens and other societies; individuals, even the bravest, cruelest, most righteous... are just one individual in a whole universe of individuals, so what can one individual truly do? Human nature is fucked up. All weapons will always be used, especially the human ones.

And so I closed this rich, wonderful book with all its amazing adventures... and I felt deflated, melancholy, depressed. Banks doesn't make it easy for anyone - not his characters, not his societies, and certainly not his readers.

Ahoy there mateys!

Several years ago, I was deeply lamenting the lack of standalone books that were somehow intertwined within one universe or world. My brain is usually like a sieve, and the long time gaps between books in trilogies and such mean that I lose details and sometimes have to start the series all over again. I craved the effect of extreme world building along with a neatly tied-up story in each book.

The First Mate suggested the Culture "series" where every book is set in the same universe but can all be read as standalones and in any order. And it's sci-fi to boot. Arrrr!

I began reading this series in publishing order. The first was "consider phlebas" which I have read twice and loved even more the second time. The second was "player of games" and it was awesome, both getting 5 stars. I hadn't read a Culture book since 2017 and was excited for this one which is a favorite for many. All of my Goodreads crew gave it 4 and 5 stars. And yet I hated it. This book was pointless. A lot of my hate stems from the book's structure but the rest comes from the infuriating reveal and atrocious ending. I shall explain in detail. This will be a long one. Spoilers have warnings but read at your own peril...

Structure-wise, there are two major timelines and two minor ones. To quote the Wikipedia page for the novel: "The book is made up of two narrative streams, interwoven in alternating chapters. The numbers of the chapters indicate which stream they belong to: one stream is numbered forward in words (One, Two...), while the other is numbered in reverse with Roman numerals (XIII, XII...). The story told by the former moves forward chronologically and tells a self-contained story, while the latter is written in reverse chronology with each chapter successively earlier in Zakalwe's life... Further complicating this structure is a prologue and epilogue set shortly after the events of the main narrative, and many flashbacks within the chapters."

The present timeline follows the main character, Zakalwe, who is basically a living weapon both physically and tactically. He is a member of a society outside of the Culture and has been tasked by Special Circumstances to rescue an old colleague. The past chapters deal with earlier jobs Zakalwe did for Special Circumstances and then work their way back to the defining moment of how he acquired his massive self-hatred that defines the present. The forward moving story was modestly interesting. The chapters dealing with prior completed jobs were even better. And I did want to know what the big mystery reveal was going to be concerning Zakalwe's pathological fear of chairs.

While I understood what was happening with the plot in both the main streams, I had two underlying issues. The first is that the alternated chapters irked me. I don't normally have a problem with this but for some reason I got tired of switching back and forth. I'm not sure if that's because of the reverse narrative or something else. What I do know is that the second issue was the absolutely dumb flashbacks in both the present and past streams. I didn't mind that Zakalwe had flashbacks. He certainly has PTSD from his past but the flashbacks were repetitive, random, and halted the plot's momentum. There were just so many of them. I also could rarely place the flashbacks in terms of where they occurred in Zakalwe's timeline. So annoying. There could have been only a couple of flashbacks used to much better effect.

And if two timelines and hard to classify flashbacks weren't enough, Banks also had to add a prologue and epilogue to the mess. I'm not even sure what the point of either was. Also, like the flashbacks, it was very hard to figure out where in time they occurred. Arguments have been made about the issue but I just didn't care. So you basically have four separate time frames represented in the novel. I felt that it was overly complicated and detracted from the war themes of the novel. Was the author just trying to show his cleverness? Or did it stem from something else?

You see, apparently, "use of weapons" was published third but was technically his first novel. He originally wrote it in 1974 long before he published anything. In this interview, he says "The original 1974 draft of 'Use of Weapons' was just absurdly complicated. It was packed with purple prose and it had this insane structure it was impossible to comprehend without thinking in six dimensions." Over ten years later his friend (and fellow author) Ken MacLeod helped him restructure it into the novel we have today which included "putting the climax of the book at the end." Was some of my dislike due to taking a first work and restructuring it? Or did the climax and ending always suck?

So here's where the spoilers are mateys!

The Climax Hatred

Zakalwe's fear of chairs is because of a family dispute. Short version: He was the heir to the throne but his cousin, Elethiomel, staged a coup. Elethiomel kidnaps Zakalwe's sister, Darckense, and holds her hostage. A stalemate ensues. To end the stalemate, Elethiomel murders the sister, creates a chair out of her bones, and sends it to his cousin. The fear of chairs is because Darckense became one and he didn't save her. What kind of stupid thing is that? Turning her into a chair was just plain unbelievable and ridiculous! Dumb.

The Ending Hatred

So you think you now understand Zakalwe's fear of chairs and self-hatred and wish to make amends. Then the final chapter offers this tidbit. Zakalwe goes to visit his other sister Livueta and ask forgiveness for his past. But (surprise!) the Zakalwe that you know is actually Elethiomel in disguise! The real Zakalwe committed suicide due to his grief. Elethiomel loses the coup somehow (not explained), has a change of heart (not explained), chooses to take his dead cousin's identity (not explained), and then chooses to make amends for his evil past. Of course after the reader finds out about the switch, Elethiomel has an embolism and you don't know if he survives or not. Ummm what? Talk about stupid. It makes no sense! And of course all sympathy for the Zakalwe character you have followed goes out the window. For me this ending negated all the philosophical debate brought up by the novel. Because the question changes to can Elethiomel be more than a monster? But with no background on how Elethiomel originally sees the error of his wicked ways, what's the point? I was livid that this author's choice basically made everything previously argued about pointless. Some crew may have thought this was mind-blowing. I just found it lame and exasperating. If this was the original climax then there should have been explanations!

There you have it - why this novel sadly must Walk the Plank! Here's to hoping the next Culture novel goes much better.

Side note: A review by Abigail @ askingthewrongquestions does a great job of highlighting the philosophical questions raised about warfare by the novel and part of why the structure could work. It also explains why the book fails. Arrrr!

Use of Weapons was chosen as the pick for my sci-fi book club in August 2008, and I found it to be an extremely enjoyable read. However, it is a dense and challenging book to get through. The scattered timeline and the dreamlike quality of many passages may put off some readers. Frustratingly, Banks omits what would have been the most revealing and emotionally charged scenes. He only provides us with beginnings and middles, always cutting to black right after the climax, never giving us a resolution. But these apparent flaws are actually deliberate literary techniques, and I believe Banks uses them to great effect.

In my view, Use of Weapons is a profound meditation on situational ethics, their application, and their cost. The book's title refers not only to the way the main character, Cheradinine Zakalwe, mercilessly employs every available weapon to win his wars but also to the way the Culture utilizes Zakalwe himself. As a weapon, Zakalwe will destroy whatever he is targeted at, and he has no obvious morality beyond that of the purpose for which he is set. However, he is haunted by memories of some unforgivable act that he thought was necessary at the time.

Zakalwe works for the Culture in an attempt to redeem himself, fighting wars that are supposed to make the universe a better place. The Culture is an ancient, interstellar civilization governed by computers. They strive to guide the destiny of less developed societies to make them "more civilized," but the connection between Zakalwe's actions and the Culture's goals is never explored. Similarly, the reader is never given any sense of the goal that drove Zakalwe to commit his heinous crime. All the action in the book is a means to an end that is never specified. We are left wondering whether any end could be good enough to justify Zakalwe's actions or whether he is truly beyond redemption.

The novel's central dilemma is thus a paradox: if the reader believes that the end justifies the means, then nothing Zakalwe did in pursuit of a moral goal could be immoral, and thus, he does not need redemption. But if the end does not justify the means, then Zakalwe can never be redeemed by fighting the Culture's wars.

I consider this to be a thought-provoking and beautifully written book, but it is definitely not for everyone. I would recommend it to anyone who has the patience to read it.

I have a few rather minor flaws with this book.

Primarily, the action scenes sometimes seem to go on for too long, wearing a bit thin.

Also, there is one character who was quite interesting at the beginning but is effectively pushed to the sidelines for the majority of the story.

However, aside from these small issues, this is an extremely compelling and uniquely structured story about war, exploitation, ruthless aggression, and the search for redemption.

It is all encompassed within Banks' dry wit and lofty imagination, and it was a pleasure to read, even when it was a bit stomach-churning.

The way Banks weaves together these complex themes and characters makes for a truly engaging and thought-provoking read.

Despite the minor drawbacks, the overall impact of the story is profound and leaves a lasting impression on the reader.

**"Use of Weapons: A Deep Dive into Culture and Zakalwe's Story"**

"Use of Weapons" is yet another remarkable addition to the culture series. It presents the captivating tale of Cheradenine Zakalwe, an agent associated with "special circumstances," a covert division of "contact." "Contact" is a branch of the culture responsible for uncovering life forms across the galaxies.

The novel stands out as it weaves two narratives, one in the present and the other in the past, both centered around Zakalwe. This unique structure adds depth and complexity to the story.

There are several aspects of this book that I truly loved. Firstly, it offers profound insights into the culture's moral compass. In the culture, a utopian society without money or scarcity, the only prohibition is harming others. However, the lack of a clear purpose of living led to the creation of "contact" and the use of covert means to influence other societies.

Secondly, Zakalwe's story convergence is excellent. He has been used by the culture as a weapon, yet his handler, Dziet sma, has never revealed the true nature of his missions. Zakalwe's disillusionment and failed attempts at retirement add to the intrigue. His latest operation to retrieve Tsoldrin Beychae is further enhanced by his complex past.

Finally, the shock value in the story is significant. Zakalwe's childhood, his relationship with his cousin Elethiomel, and the events that unfold, including the kidnapping of Darckense, all contribute to a powerful and emotional narrative. The final revelation when Zakalwe confronts Livueta in the present ties everything together and provides a shocking twist.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book, especially the past part of the story. I would rate it 3/5 stars.

June 9, 2013

It's a truly heart-wrenching day for me. I refrain from speaking on behalf of others regarding the passing of Iain (M.) Banks. I can only express my own feelings, and for me, this is an incredibly sad, almost unbearable day.

I was introduced to Banks in a rather circuitous manner. A close friend of mine was teaching The Wasp Factory in a class he had designed about serial killer literature. Among all the books on his syllabus, he specifically told me to read The Wasp Factory, so I did, and I was completely captivated by every single page. After that, I drifted away from Banks for a long time. However, when my sister moved to Scotland and informed me that she had bumped into him at her Borders, I picked up Complicity and loved it. Then I drifted away from him again until China Miéville gave me a nudge and told us all, in his list of fifty works all good socialists should read, to read Use of Weapons. I obliged, and I didn't just love it; it became an integral part of me, and my drift away from Banks finally came to an end.

Ever since then, I have been completely devoted to his work. His books are constantly towering over my head in the stack beside my bed. But more significantly, they are always lingering in my mind, influencing me in my deepest thoughts, making me contemplate the world around me in ways I never did before. Use of Weapons is perhaps the book of Banks' that has had the most profound impact on me. Zakalwe is not a man I would aspire to be, like Ursula LeGuin's Shevek, but he is more similar to the person I am. I understand him, I empathize with him, and I strive to better myself the way he worked on himself. It's a rather peculiar relationship that I have with Zakalwe, because it is also a relationship I had with his creator.

I never truly knew Banks, and he never knew me (although in a sense, he knew me extremely well). And now, we will never have the opportunity to know each other. But my non-relationship with Iain Banks perfectly exemplifies what I believe is crucial about writers, their writing, and their readers. In his own way, Banks meant as much to me and who I am on a daily basis as my parents, my ex-wife, my wife, my kids, and all those others I have loved. Just like my teachers, coaches, priests, and friends, Iain Banks was like family to me. We were connected on a metaphysical level. I will miss him until the day I die.

I wish the Culture had uploaded his consciousness today. I wish they had made him the Mind of a General Systems Vehicle (GSV) called \\"In Search of the Perfect Dram.\\" Then I could board it and engage with some alien races for Special Circumstances and participate in the search for the perfect whiskey. That would be absolute heaven.

Putting aside the fantasy, I hope you are resting in peaceful oblivion, Iain. I loved you. You will always be in my mind.

I think this might be my least favourite of the Culture novels so far.

I believe a significant portion of this is due to the disparity between the time when this novel was written (1990) and the time I'm reading it (2023).

In the context of a science fiction book back then, the whole idea of an anti-hero grimly uncovering the pointlessness and brutality within the colonial power of the Culture might have been captivating.

However, in our new roaring twenties, this concept has become extremely tiresome.

It seems that every other piece of science fiction-coded media continuously reminds me of this grimdark 'truth'.

The twist was passable, but I'm not a huge fan of last-minute twists nowadays, especially those that deprive me of character nuance.

I wish it had occurred halfway through the story rather than at the end.

I would have preferred to see it explored in more depth.

Otherwise, it was mediocre and forgettable.

I would not recommend listening to it on audiobook until you understand how the book is structured (one chapter advancing in the present and one chapter regressing into the past), as you'll likely spend the first few hours feeling vaguely confused.

With all the Culture novels I have perused, "Use of Weapons" shines like a brilliant light, held aloft from the other books, marked by some pure excellence. It is easily on par with my other favorite novel by Iain Banks, "The Bridge" (albeit not a Culture novel). I consider both these books to be among the finest, deepest, and most intelligent ones he penned. While I can't honestly say I've read a bad book by Iain, or at least one I haven't finished, both novels showcase his true genius and craftsmanship.

Seeing as this is the third Culture novel published (in 1990), it delves deeper into what the Culture is as a society. Their lighter and darker aspects are truly revealed here, as explained in the story of Zakalwe, a Special Circumstances agent of some skill. The Culture takes him in and trains him to more or less cause wars on different star systems in the Universe and, in some instances, back both sides of the ensuing and inevitable conflict that Zakalwe ferments. Zakalwe is like a tragic hero, good at his undercover job, in fact superbly skilled at it, but also a very complex character with some deep and troubling issues at his core. And this is the main focus of the book; alternate chapters, the past and the present, detail what causes Zakalwe to be discovered by the Culture and more or less used by them, but also respected by them it seems. His past, slowly uncovered throughout the alternating chapters, gradually builds to a horrific climax towards the end, making everything, including the present, start to make sense. There is also a very clever twist to the whole book right at the last chapter (being the present) that brings both timelines together - a twist that isn't really guessed at throughout the book but, looking back, the hints are there.

It is all about the chair.

After the disappointing "Consider Phlebas" and the good second novel "The Player of Games", I must admit that the experience with Banks will not remain deeply impressed in my memory for a long time.

In this third novel, an alternating narrative structure between present and past is used. The protagonist is a mercenary in the service of "The Culture" sent to another world to prevent the start of a conflict.

Each chapter alternates the mission in the present with numerous flashbacks of his past, which, however, remains distant and rather anonymous.

The plot did not excite me, nor did the ending.

It's a spy story stretched out like chicken broth but without the chicken, with an infinity of interludes useful only for increasing the page count instead of providing useful information.

"The Culture" is the peacemaker that interferes in the destinies of other cultures thanks to their "superior level of civilization", it does so through mercenaries, so as not to get its hands dirty directly and with the assumption of those who believe themselves superior.

Unfortunately, it is a fact that during the reading, I continued to fall into a stupor every few pages. The only positive memory I will keep of this novel will be the extraordinary comfort of my sofa. Maybe I read it at the wrong time or maybe some novels I should start reading while standing.

This story centers around the tortured Cheradenine Zakalwe, a man who has a penchant for a good war, flashy weapons, alcohol, and beautiful women. However, he is attempting to make sense of his past and his connection with his siblings. For some time, I had difficulties with the chapters that delved into the backstory of the main character. These short scenes were interspersed with an adventure tale of a futuristic mercenary. Despite my initial confusion, the ending was outstanding and everything fell into place.

Meanwhile, Banks's exploration of human behavior persisted with his portrayal of the Culture, an advanced technological society that devotes its time to rescuing humans from engaging in unnecessary wars. His writing demonstrates that excellent science fiction can also be great literature. It shows that through the lens of science fiction, we can gain a deeper understanding of human nature and the consequences of our actions. Banks's work challenges us to think about the role of technology in our lives and the importance of using it for the betterment of humanity.

Overall, this story is a captivating blend of action, adventure, and philosophical exploration that will keep readers engaged from beginning to end.

It is often the case that when we encounter a truly remarkable piece of work, words seem inadequate to fully convey our admiration. In this instance, it is better for me to say nothing other than:

"This is an absolute masterpiece. Read it."

Such a statement holds true not only upon the initial encounter but also upon subsequent readings. In 2020, upon rereading and editing, I can affirm that it still stands. On this second read, there are just an amazing number of subtle nuances throughout this thing that I didn't pick up the first time through. It's as if the work reveals new layers of depth and complexity with each successive perusal, making it a truly captivating and enriching experience. It's a testament to the skill and artistry of the creator that this piece continues to engage and astound, even after multiple readings.