The Player of Games

He is one of those rare SF writers who possess both excellent ideas and remarkable prose. His works are a true delight for science fiction enthusiasts. The ideas he presents are not only innovative but also thought-provoking, making readers question the boundaries of what is possible. At the same time, his prose is so beautifully crafted that it draws readers in and keeps them engaged from start to finish. Whether it's the vivid descriptions of otherworldly landscapes or the complex characterizations, his writing leaves a lasting impression. I highly recommend his works to anyone who loves science fiction and wants to experience the beauty of well-written prose. You won't be disappointed.

In this thought-provoking sci-fi story, the premise is deceptively simple. At the end of the book, one feels like a certified observationalist of the art of layer peeling, much like peeling an onion.

\n  \n    “you cannot choose not to have the politics you do; they are not some separate set of entities somehow detachable from the rest of your being; they are a function of your existence.”\n  \n

Set in a post-scarcity, semi-pacifistic society, Jernau Gurgeh spends his days playing games and writing about gaming strategies. He's a renowned game theorist. However, dissatisfied with life, he's drawn into the most complex and dangerous game he's ever played - the Game of the Empire of Azad. The outcome of this game shapes the empire's legislation, politics, education, and social hierarchy.

What follows is a complete and utter clashing of cultures and mindsets as Gurgeh, accompanied by two snarky AIs, tries to understand Azad while climbing the game's leaderboards. On the surface, the book is enjoyable, watching the protagonist train and overcome intricate rounds of games. Gurgeh, a single-minded and obsessed protagonist, isn't the nicest, but you can still root for him. His banter with the accompanying drone, Flere-imasho, is often hilarious.

Even though Banks never explains the rules of Azad (which would probably be counterproductive given its complexity), every round Gurgeh plays keeps you on the edge of your seat. The characters he plays against are diverse and interesting, offering glimpses of empire society that help Gurgeh understand their playing styles.

This brings us to the layers: the entire book is a beautiful mix of allegory and commentary on our own society. Gurgeh comes from a society where humanity has a symbiotic relationship with AI machines, providing anything people desire. In contrast, the empire is considered barbaric by the Culture, based on old, archaic rules of ownership, power, and domination, with the powerful classes constantly breaking the rules and manipulating the system.

Understanding the game of Azad is understanding the culture of Azad, which is difficult for Gurgeh, who, despite being a great strategist, is naive when it comes to blackmail, manipulation, and backstabbing politics. There are many clever comparisons with human society in the book, but I don't want to spoil them.

In conclusion, this is a great sci-fi read that puts the progressive nature back into it. It's a standalone book with some minor flaws, such as a sometimes unlikable protagonist and a sluggish pace, especially in the first third. But overall, it's a 4.0-star read.

I am removing my reviews as I do not want to support Amazon.

You are engaged in a game, and during an adjournment, you are presented with a cast iron safe opportunity to cheat. It is important to note that this act of cheating will not have any impact on the ultimate outcome of the game, as you are already certain to win. However, it may potentially change the manner in which you achieve victory. So, the question remains: what will you do?

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I have just finished reading this article, and I already want to read it again.

The content within it is so engaging and thought-provoking that it leaves a lasting impression.

Each sentence seems to be carefully crafted, drawing me in and making me eager to discover what comes next.

The author's writing style is captivating, with a unique flow and rhythm that makes the reading experience truly enjoyable.

I find myself reflecting on the ideas presented, and it has sparked my own thoughts and considerations.

This article has not only provided me with valuable information but has also entertained and inspired me.

I can't wait to go back and reread it, perhaps uncovering new details and perspectives that I missed the first time around.

It is truly a remarkable piece of writing that I highly recommend to others.

A mediocre novel by a good writer. I would give it 2.5 stars if I could.

The Player of Games is about a man who has dedicated his entire life to games. He plays games, studies them, writes articles about them, and... well, that's about it. For him, it's all about games.

Alas, the Player is not a very captivating character to build a novel around. His obsessive focus is dull, and the games are only described in the vaguest of terms.

The Player's competitive spirit, cunning, and intelligence seem to be sorely lacking outside of a game. As the plot unfolds, there are rather obvious political machinations that the Player is oblivious to because he is so engrossed in games. Indeed, as it turns out, he is (obviously) just a pawn in a larger political game. The story isn't terrible, but it could be significantly better if it was told from some other, more interesting perspective.

I also felt that the plot was damaged by a couple of very poorly motivated decisions made by the Player, especially his early decision to cheat in a game. We are told that he is bored with playing games and, in a weak moment, decides to play dishonestly. He knows full well that this could ruin his career, and he even says he'll commit suicide if caught. All of this seems completely unmotivated to me. We don't know much about what goes on inside the Player's head, so it seems like an arbitrary decision. We also know nothing about the game he is cheating at beyond being told that he will execute a tricky maneuver that no one has ever done before.

Part of the problem is that it's difficult to understand where games fit into the Culture and what kind of role they play. In our society, they are rather marginal: do you know the name of the world's best chess player? Backgammon player? Bridge player? Presumably, games are a bigger deal in the Culture since it is a society that has more time for leisure. Presumably.

Bank's concept of games is rather dull: he doesn't seem to view a game as anything more than a combination of chess-like board games and cards. Additionally, only physical board games are discussed; I wondered more than once why there were no video games mentioned. I don't mean skill/reflex video games, but more intellectual ones, such as Civilization, or variations of board games that can only be played with computers (e.g. because the board must change in complex or drastic ways that would be too laborious for humans to do).

The idea of an empire based around a game is intriguing, but the book fails to take it anywhere interesting.

The novel is set in Banks' Culture universe, which I found to be far more interesting than the main plot. I have the feeling Banks probably thinks the same way too.

When someone who seldom reads science-fiction remarks that a certain book is lacking in the SF aspect and could be read by anyone (even those who don't have an affinity for SF), I always inwardly groan.

Only if some of my reliable Goodreads friends who regularly read SF tell me that although a particular SF book may not be heavy on the science aspect but is still good, do I give it a try.

Because for me, the "light" often implies that the author is attempting to conceal his/her own weaker understanding of science from the readers.

In fact, I am currently engrossed in one such book where the author claims that his main objective was to create memorable characters rather than focusing on world-building.

Liking his characters seems to be an acquired taste as I am finding them extremely dull, one-dimensional, and criminally forgettable, to put it mildly.

And given the length of that particular book (more than 500 pages) and the amount of time I have already invested in it (more than halfway through), it means that I can't simply abandon it now.

If I am ever going to regret my decision of reading one book in my lifetime while on my deathbed, that book is surely going to be this one.

The reason I am stating all this is because more often than not, I avoid reading books that claim that although they are SF, they are more about the characters rather than the world they are set in.

I firmly believe that one needs to strike a balance in everything in order to pen good SF. You cannot produce good (read interesting) books by sacrificing one of their essential elements for the sake of something else.

So, I am not going to assert that The Player of Games is more about its characters than other aspects.

I would rather say that it is a perfectly balanced work of a genius who knew exactly what he was doing.

And if it appears to us readers that despite being somewhat sparing on the SF aspect, this novel is still tasteful, it is because Banks prepared this literary dish with the right amount of ingredients.

The book follows a game player, Chiark-Gevantsa Jernau Morat Gurgeh dam Hassease (let's just call him Jernau Gurgeh from now on) who is bored with his perfect life in the utopian Culture universe.

Let's face it, even reading about utopias isn't exactly that thrilling, so we can truly empathize with Jernau Gurgeh on that front.

Even Banks was aware of this, so our game player is dispatched to compete in a game called 'Azad' in an imperialist world outside the Culture universe.

Hence commences an allegory that compares the two polarizing ideologies – imperialism and anarchist-socialism – with coherent arguments.

Most people concur that socialism is the next step in the evolution of human civilization.

But that time seems very distant (if it ever arrives, that is).

I have always believed that for socialism to function, first there should be an abundance of everything; from technology to basic necessities such as food and shelter, which could be provided to each and every human being with proper management and without any rationing.

(Yes, it's wishful thinking, but we are discussing utopias here).

And we also need to eliminate the stringent controlling factors that socialism imposes on its people.

Enter anarchist-socialism. In other words, enter the Culture Universe!

Many have opined that The Player of Games is the grown-up's version of Ender's Game.

It's not. It's not about games at all.

It's about how we should be living and, more importantly, about how we are living right now.

It's about human empathy. Or the lack thereof, in today's world.

It's about what we have already missed as a civilization and are going to miss in the times ahead if we don't expand our awareness in the right direction.

This is my first Iain M. Banks novel (surprise!), and while I am berating myself for not reading him earlier, I do have the consolation that I won't run out of his books to read for some foreseeable future.

It's disheartening that such a genius is no longer among us.

But I like to envision that he is now lounging somewhere in the real version of the Culture Universe, lamenting our pathetic world while sipping martinis.

The Player of Games by Iain M. Banks is an outstanding novel that has truly delighted me. It offers a remarkable multi-layered story that keeps the reader engaged from start to finish. This novel is the second in the Culture series and can be read as a stand-alone. However, to fully appreciate the author's world-building, I believe readers should begin with Consider Phlebas.

I was immediately drawn to the character of Mawhrun-Skel. He is a true player, and his presence adds an interesting dynamic to the story.

The hero, Jernau Morat Gurgeh, initially comes across as a shallow snob. He is a bored dilettante, and his chosen passion is starting to lose its charm. Gurgeh, the top board-game player in the Culture, is ripe for an adventure. When one is presented to him, it intrigues him enough to provide some brief amusement. However, he is reluctant to give up what he has achieved.

Mawhrun-Skel, a sentient drone, provides the necessary push. Gurgeh becomes a reluctant ambassador for the Culture and is tasked with learning a game called Azad, which is played by an imperial empire on the planet Aë. The empire is harsh and militaristic, and the game of Azad is central to their government and religion.

Gurgeh spends two years learning the game and traveling to Aë on the General Systems Vehicle, Little Rascal. Once there, he faces many challenges, including attempts on his life and exposure to poverty and physical abuse. He also questions the purpose of his involvement and whether the Culture is using him as a pawn.

Overall, The Player of Games is a thought-provoking and engaging novel that explores themes such as power, culture, and the nature of games. I highly recommend it to fans of science fiction and anyone looking for a good read.

Oh! I have to stop as American football is on the TV. I wonder what players will be injured today? They are bringing out a stretcher! Hit playback, would you, gentle reader? I don't think football is symbolic of Who We Americans Truly Are, as Banks might believe. It's just a game, right?

In a way, the innocent Gurgeh didn't survive the ambassador job. He got enlightened and realized his failure at The Great Game. I find it ironic how Banks sets up Gurgeh's end in the novel.

This is one of the early examples of ‘new’ space opera.

The story centers around a man from the Culture, Gurgeh. The Culture is a post-scarcity society, which some might refer to as anarcho-communism. Gurgeh is a player of games, as the book title implies. This means he has dedicated his entire life to playing various games, studying game theory and history. He is among the very best in this field. However, in a post-scarcity society, the motivation behind games is somewhat lacking. You can't truly lose or win anything; only the process provides the excitement.

As one of the top players, Gurgeh is dispatched across the galaxy to the Empire of Azad. This empire is held together by an extremely complex game called Azad.

I preferred the second volume more than the previous one, Consider Phlebas. Typically, a space opera involves action-adventure set in space, with elements like light saber duels, escapes from living planets, or massive fleet battles. But this story is different. It maintains a good pace, yet the conflict is much more internal.

Although the setting is quite distinct, the story has strong similarities to Hard to Be a God for me. They both grapple with the issue that it's difficult to remain outside the suffering and simply observe it.