I was rather astonished that I didn't assign a higher rating to this. Many individuals whose opinions I truly value gave this a 4 or 5-star rating. However, here I am, going against the grain.

It was a gorgeously written book, brimming with numerous excellent ideas. Nevertheless, the story simply didn't resonate with me. This poses a problem because I consider him to be one of the most story-driven contemporary sci-fi authors. For a quick word association game: Reynolds equals suspense. Hamilton equals world building. Banks equals story. But the truth is, I couldn't care less about the protagonist and how much he was constantly criticizing one of my favorite characters (the amazing little sentient drone).

I found the protagonist to be极其傲慢, that I rapidly lost interest in what happened to him. This is the main reason why I have to give this a 3-star rating instead of a 4. I suppose if you find him somewhat likable, you'll rate this closer to the average than I did. Once again, it was an excellently written book that perhaps just came along at an inopportune time for me. I wouldn't attempt to dissuade anyone from reading it for themselves. Banks is a master storyteller, and I know this might be sacrilegious for fans of the Culture books, but I really prefer Consider Phlebas. That being said, The Player of Games didn't leave a bad taste in my mouth at all. Excession and Use of Weapons are on the way unless the U.S. Postal Service joins America's governmental shutdown, and I couldn't be more excited to read more books in this captivating series.

Addictively funny and terrifying at the same time, I found Banks' world building to be truly charming and unique. It dares you to guess at the scale and scope of the Culture, which keeps you on the edge of your seat.

The prose is classic Banks - simple, satisfying, and as creamy as ever. His sense of humour shines through every page, making the reading experience even more enjoyable.

The mature themes and ideas presented in the book, such as "A guilty system recognises no innocents", were a pleasant surprise. I was initially misled by the title and blurb, thinking it might be a Ready Player One type of deal. Thank goodness it wasn't! (Sorry Cline, but let's face it, you can't write like Banks). This is sci-fi for adults, making you scratch your beard (yes, ladies too) and contemplate on the book's philosophy.

The game/civilisation symbiosis of The Empire is an interesting concept that I was completely drawn to. By the end of the book, its symbolic purpose engulfed me in a state of revelation and awe. What a great twist!

I love the Culture. Its power is both a dream and a nightmare, eerily perfect and calculating for better or for worse. I also loved our protagonist, whose development was a joy to witness. And let's not forget the musings and the existential dread that came from them.

"Escape is a commodity like anything else" - this line really stuck with me. Banks has smashed it again with this book. It's almost perfect. The only thing holding it back for me is my personal preference for a more psychedelic writing style, or something more vulgar, or more depressing. But still, it's a solid 9/10.

The book was truly remarkable.

It not only served as a great source of motivation to write better code but also went a step further by actually demonstrating how to achieve that through nice and practical examples.

As I delved into its pages, I discovered several new techniques that I had never come across before.

Moreover, it made me realize the mistakes I had been making all along in my coding practices.

This newfound awareness has been extremely valuable, and I am now more confident in my ability to write cleaner and more efficient code.

The book has truly been a game-changer for me, and I would highly recommend it to anyone looking to improve their coding skills.

It is not just a theoretical guide but a hands-on resource that provides real-world solutions and practical tips.

I am excited to apply what I have learned and see the positive impact it will have on my future projects.

Overall, this book is a must-read for all programmers, regardless of their level of experience.

I've just completed a re-reading of Iain M. Banks' The Player Of Games.

In this novel, Banks demonstrates an enhanced command of style compared to Consider Phlebas. Here, the prose is significantly more fluid, and the lyrical aspect of his writing is given greater freedom. The various strange settings that Jernau Gurgeh, the player of games, traverses, as well as his mental states during gameplay, are vividly described.

Gurgeh, a master gamer, is dispatched by Special Circumstances, the Culture's espionage arm, to the empire of Azad. In Azad, power is attained through performance in the eponymous great game. Banks' portrayal of Azad is a critique of imperialism, going beyond mere outrage to depict a society that systematically destroys innocence.

The game of Azad itself is not detailed, but Banks focuses on Gurgeh's mental challenges and insights in mastering it. Gurgeh's reactions as a citizen of a loosely organized, anarchistic society to a rigidly structured and hierarchical one add depth to the story.

The suspense builds to a fever pitch, and it becomes clear that Gurgeh is playing for higher stakes than just boosting the Culture's prestige. The final act is memorable, functioning on both the surface level of the story and as a summary of Banks' political and social ideas.

Although Banks' mechanical characters remain more appealing than his human ones, overall, this is a satisfying novel. It is thought-provoking, exciting, and just as good on my second reading as I remember it being the first time.

Huge fun awaits within the pages of this remarkable work. It combines excellent writing that flows smoothly, captivating the reader from the very first sentence. The sense of wonder it evokes is truly magical, transporting you to a world filled with mystery and excitement. Sneaky humour is sprinkled throughout, adding an unexpected and delightful element that will have you chuckling under your breath. But it doesn't stop there; this piece also offers incisive social commentary, making you think about the world around you in a new light. It's a unique blend of entertainment and thought-provoking content that is sure to leave a lasting impression. Whether you're looking for a lighthearted read or something that will challenge your intellect, this work has it all. So, sit back, relax, and prepare to be amazed.

One hundred and two days after leaving Chiark, and well over two thousand light-years from the Orbital, the Limiting Factor made its rendezvous with the River class Superlifter Kiss My Ass.

This is book 2 in the "Culture" series. However, don't be misled. It's not so much a continuing series as it is a collection of stand-alone adventures within the pan-galactic society. This is nice because you don't have to keep track of hordes of characters and events. Instead, you get punchy one-takes with very little background information.

This volume focuses on the titular genius gamer. There are so many deliciously yet thinly veiled references to our own crass culture that it's hard to know where to begin. It's better to just read it and puzzle through the miasma yourself.

The plot involves the genius gamer being sent by the Culture to play the game of Azad in the Empire of Azad, where the game and the empire are virtually synonymous. Whoever wins becomes Emperor. Unfortunately, the Empire of Azad is barbaric, cruel, and disturbing, so all kinds of moral dilemmas of apathy, interference, and morality come into play (part of the game, see?). There are recurring themes of obsession on the gamer's part, indifference to suffering, and the dangers of immersing oneself too deeply in one's egoistic cultural superiority.

If I have one criticism of both this book and its predecessor, it's that Banks holds back when it comes to the wackiness and humor. Throughout the story, I found myself waiting for more of the same zany fun, but it's only occasional. However, I was laughing out loud at certain points. Hopefully, Banks cuts loose more in subsequent books because that's what makes these books so much fun: outlandish tales liberally spiced with a black sense of humor.

Full Review at Tenacious Reader: http://www.tenaciousreader.com/2015/0...

Gurgeh is the ultimate player of games on his planet. He resides in The Culture, a society where humans and technology have merged to create what appears to be a utopian world. In this society, people generally don't have to work as technology takes care of everything. There seems to be no crime, and when it does occur, the punishment is having a companion droid accompany you forever. However, I couldn't help but wonder what prevents someone from committing more crimes after receiving this punishment. Evidently, it makes you a social outcast, which in this society is considered worse than death. But what then? What do they have to lose? This was a minor point that crossed my mind. Perhaps it was addressed in the book and I simply missed it. Regardless, the key is that in this society, people do as they please, and they don't need law enforcement as they self-regulate. They are provided with all they need, so there are no "crimes of necessity" as people don't have to steal to feed their starving families. Essentially, it's Utopian Communism in space.

Gurgeh's success in games leads to a somewhat mysterious opportunity to play a game called Azad in the Empire of Azad. It's an offer he can't refuse, despite years of commitment (it takes him two years just to get there) and a complete lack of knowledge about how to play the game. Oh, and there's also the possibility of death. There may have been some unethical persuasion involved in getting him to go, but I'll let you discover that for yourself. Initially, the only thing he really knows about the game is that social standing is completely determined by a person's ability to play it. It's like a lifelong tennis ladder, where the game is Azad. Going to the Empire highlights the differences between these two societies, bringing out both their weaknesses and strengths. I have to admit, though, that there seemed to be more advantages to living in The Culture than in the Empire.

Gurgeh was, in some ways, not entirely likable, but at the same time, he was a character I enjoyed reading about. And the more I read of the book, the more I grew to like Gurgeh. The story was interesting, and I'm glad I chose this one as a Backlist option. Whether or not I believe The Culture is possible, I would love to live there, at least for a while.

This year, I had planned to read three novels about games, each of which centered around "The Game" that served as a mirror of life, the reason for living, and an entity transcending life itself. With this novel, my self-made trilogy comes to an end, and fortunately, they all met, if not surpassed, my high expectations.

I am a gamer myself. Since childhood, I have loved chess and always enjoyed video games, owning a PS1, PS2, PS3, Wii, and Wii U. In the last couple of years, I have also delved into board games and card games. Simply put, I would side with those who wouldn't mind the world mutating so that gaming becomes the central matter in life, as is the case in the particular branches of society (or Universe) in these novels.

The first novel is "The Glass Bead Game" by Hermann Hesse, and the second is "Ender's Game" by Orson Scott Card. And now, let's turn to Banks' novel.

"Culture" is a human-machine symbiotic society where mankind has done all the hard work in the past, and life is now easy. It's an interstellar, anarchist utopian society. Longevity has been solved, with death being almost unknown and people able to be resurrected in various ways. Even those curious about the future can choose to be stored through cryogenics.

If one were to fall off a cliff, don't worry. A nearby drone would detect the fall and fly to the rescue in no time. Depending on their character, they may emit an aura of joy, smugness, or indifference as they save you.

Suffering from a gender identity crisis? The norm in this society is quite different from ours. Everyone now has glands that allow hormonal levels and other chemical secretions to be controlled at will.

In the Empire of Azad, where our Player of Games travels, the society and its members are mind-blowing in different ways. The fact that there are three sexes in this society is fascinating to read about. The one thing that sets Azad apart from all the others in the Universe is that the strongest player of "The Game" becomes the Emperor.

I rarely laugh while reading, but this novel had me laughing multiple times due to its dry humour. Banks not only brings sexual humour to the game but also makes us think about and question our own existence and world through the portrayal of the two colliding worlds, "The Culture" and Azad.

Honestly, this is all I wanted to write about. I recently traveled overseas to compete in a chess tournament, which put me back into the world I'm so familiar with. Every tournament is different, and this time, I had a game where a moment of unstructured thinking cost me a potential comeback win. I could only distract myself to sleep that night by reading a whole novel.

I originally rated this novel 5 stars, and I'm still not sure which rating it truly belongs to. But my favorite passage of the book is one that gamers can identify with. The trilogy awaits your journey. September 30, 2015.

The second of the Culture books, this is solid space opera sci-fi. It is not the best of the Culture books, but it is certainly not the worst either. In fact, I don't think any of them are bad.

Player of Games is often recommended as the best starting point for those new to Banks' writing or the Culture series. The reason is that it is more accessible to a wider audience than Consider Phlebas, the first Culture book written and the first chronologically in the Culture universe. While this may be true, I believe that Consider Phlebas is the proper starting point for new Culture readers. CP sets the stage in almost every respect for the Culture universe. The rest of the books stem from CP, whether you realize it or not at the time. I only realized this after reading all the Culture books in order and then reading them again in order. When I finished reading CP for the second time, I saw how it set the stage, both historically and philosophically, for what was to come. Certainly, CP is a more difficult read than PoG, but I truly believe it is worth the effort.

I'm not trying to discourage you from reading Player of Games. I loved it, both when I first read it and when I later listened to the excellent audiobook version. Especially if you've read other Culture novels but not this one, you should check it out at your earliest opportunity. The story is great. I simply think that if you're new to the series, you should read CP first.

A very satisfying read for me and a worthwhile homage to a modern master of science fiction whom we lost this year. I first delved into his work with “Consider Phlebas” many years ago, and it was a truly captivating experience. Now, I am filling a significant gap in my reading history by exploring this 1988 landmark set in the fictional world of the Culture.

In the Culture, technology has advanced to a point where all basic human needs are effortlessly met. There is no war, no crime, and people are free to engage in various pursuits. They can party, pursue the arts, take up hobbies, or even build artificial worlds. Gender is no longer a fixed construct, and if one is bored with their sex life, they can simply change it. Our protagonist, Gurgeh, has achieved great success as a master of game playing. He lives for the next tournament victory and the acclaim that comes with his academic papers on game theory. Gurgeh is a neutral and non-judgmental character, through whom the reader gets to experience the interesting contrast between a utopian and a dystopian society.

Among Gurgeh’s closest friends are robots, or “drones,” whose artificial intelligence has granted them full personhood status. Banks does an excellent job of making these drones seem more human than real people, especially in terms of their emotions. One ancient drone has a unique perspective on reality and the human enterprise that Gurgeh finds appealing, while another recent immigrant, Mawhrin-Skel, elicits his empathy due to its frustration at being removed from the “Contact” service, which is dedicated to exploring alien cultures. This friend recognizes what drives Gurgeh: the allure of a game where the stakes are high.

However, life in paradise eventually becomes dull, and as a reader, we crave an interesting plot development. Gurgeh hears of a secret distant empire, Azad, which is based on a game that determines success in their society. A Contact agent drone easily convinces him to embark on a two-year journey to participate in their tournament, under the guise of an ambassadorial initiative. Gurgeh cannot resist the opportunity to play a game where the consequences are so significant.

Upon arriving in Azad, Gurgeh discovers that these aliens have a society rife with all the problems of our current human civilization, including wars of domination, political corruption, a cruel hierarchy, violent crime, and pornography. It becomes difficult to distinguish them as aliens, save for their unique three-gender system. Gurgeh is so focused on winning the game of Azad that it takes him a while to truly become disgusted with these people. With a bit more technological advancement, the Azadians could pose a significant threat in the galaxy. The question then arises: how can a society like the Culture, which values idealism and equality, deal with such a throwback to a dog-eat-dog world without resorting to forceful domination? Late in the game, Gurgeh realizes that he is merely a pawn in the clash between cultures.

While there are other writers who have explored similar themes in more depth, Banks excels by taking a different approach. He presents these ideas through a self-centered anti-hero, which allows the reader to personally engage with the story. Although it may not have the philosophical depth of some other works, it is still a worthy exploration of what human qualities might be lost or retained in a future where risk and death have been conquered.

In conclusion, I would like to share a couple of examples of Banks’ beautiful prose. In the first passage, he vividly describes how Gurgeh sees the world through the lens of the game: “As happened every now and again, everything he saw around him seemed to be part of the game; the way people stood like pieces, grouped according to who could take or affect whom; the way the pattern on the marquee was like a simple grid area on the board, and the poles like planted power-sources waiting to replenish some exhausted minor piece and supporting a crux-point in the game; the way people and police stood like the suddenly closed jaws of some nightmarish pincer-movement… all was the game, everything was seen in its light, translated into the combative imagery of its language, evaluated in the context its structure imposed upon the mind.”

In the second passage, Gurgeh’s robot assistant attempts to educate him about the Azadians by showing him examples of their cruel pornography. Banks’ description is both powerful and disturbing: “The man’s eyes glittered in the screen-light, unused photons reflecting from the halo of iris. The pupils widened at first, then shrank, became pinpoints. The drone waited for the wide, staring eyes to fill with moisture, for the tiny muscles around the eyes to flinch and the eyelids to close and the man to shake his head and turn away, but nothing of the sort happened. The screen held his gaze, as though the infinitesimal pressure of light it spent upon the room had somehow reversed, and so sucked the watching man forward, to hold him, teetering before the fall, fixed and steady and pointed at the flickering surface like some long-stilled moon.”

Azad, as described, simply gives rise to an insatiable longing for more victories, an insatiable thirst for more power, an unquenchable desire for more territory, and an unrelenting hunger for more dominion. It's a concept that immediately grabs the reader's attention and makes them eager to explore further.

I had initially been disappointed by the first novel in Banks' Culture cycle. However, I decided to give it a second chance. And boy, was I in for a surprise! The reading experience was completely unexpected and it rekindled my curiosity in the most profound way. It was truly a remarkable turn of events.

Banks takes a new approach with "The Empire of Azad", setting the story 700 years after the events of "Consider Phleba". He maintains the elements that were only hinted at in the previous installment, such as the advanced Culture society in perfect symbiosis with machines, the incredible genetic modifications that enable miracles, the warp-speed travel, and the kilometer-long mega-housing structures. The artificial minds that manage every aspect of life while humanity indulges in its pleasures add an extra layer of intrigue. The setting is not only original but also utterly fascinating. It serves as the perfect backdrop for the story that unfolds.

The protagonist, Jernau Gurgeh, is an expert in all kinds of strategy games and is renowned throughout the Culture for his extraordinary skill. He is one of the best, and it is precisely this gift that leads to his being contacted for a mission in a place far removed from the Culture: The Empire of Azad. The story places great emphasis on the social differences that the aloof protagonist will encounter during his mission. As an alien in an alien land, he must navigate these differences and face the challenges that come his way. The Game and the pleasure of the challenge that surpasses victory, as well as the complete symbiosis that allows the player to reach a state of ecstasy, are all aspects that make this story truly amazing.

"Azad produceva, semplicemente, un desiderio insaziabile di altre vittorie, altro potere, altro territorio, altro dominio..."

Gurgeh is in the midst of a mid-life crisis. He resides in the Culture, a utopian society where he has the freedom to pursue his desires. His days are filled with leisurely activities such as playing games, writing research papers on games, hiking in beautiful natural landscapes, and hosting social gatherings with friends whenever he pleases. However, despite this seemingly idyllic lifestyle, Gurgeh is not happy. The question remains: what went wrong?

Yay, Gurgeh's bubbly friend, may offer some clues about his emotional state. She is constantly brimming with crazy creative ideas, socializing with people, and enjoying a flurry of romantic relationships. While Gurgeh represents misery at the start of the book, Yay is the antithesis of that. They are polar opposites yet have been friends for a long time. Gurgeh initially attempts to follow Yay's lead in an effort to understand her happiness and perhaps borrow some for himself. He plays games with her, invites her friends over for social events, and even tries to hook up with someone, asking himself "what would Yay do?" But these attempts are short-lived, and by the next morning, Gurgeh retreats back into his shell, craving solitude.

It becomes clear that Yay is not the solution to Gurgeh's unhappiness. So, what is? The first glimmer of emotion Gurgeh experiences is when a fellow player suspects him of cheating. Instead of feeling embarrassed, he feels a thrill. Perhaps it is the change in routine that excites him. The second time Gurgeh feels a semblance of happiness is when he competes against a wunderkind girl. His happiness, however, is not true happiness but rather the absence of sorrow. He becomes so engrossed in the game that he forgets to eat, loses track of time, and his obsession allows him to forget his brooding and unhappy state. This, it seems, is as close to happiness as Gurgeh can get.
His happiness clearly centers around games, so the question becomes: what can he do to capture this feeling and make it last? This is what the remainder of the book explores. In a way, the book delves into many aspects, but I am particularly interested in dissecting the emotional journeys of the characters rather than their physical ones. In fact, this isn't even a proper review; it's just my thoughts spilled onto paper. If you're looking for a review, this isn't it.
Gurgeh's obsession during his game with the wunderkind girl leads him to make a misguided choice during the intermission, which sets off the events of the book. He later accepts an offer to play a game in a distant corner of the galaxy. The catch is that the Culture has kept this game secret for seven years, and even Gurgeh, the renowned player, has heard nothing about it. Additionally, the game is used to determine the next Emperor and other important government positions, essentially serving as an election, and perhaps a rigged one at that.
To Gurgeh, the game is just a game, with no stakes other than his personal enjoyment. This makes his final game all the more fascinating. It mirrors his earlier obsession with the game against the wunderkind girl, but on a much grander scale. He forgets to eat, has to be reminded to sleep, and even has to be prompted to urinate. He is truly happy, or at least in his version of happiness, which is the absence of sorrow. Meanwhile, his opponent has bet everything on this game. When they finally discuss it, Gurgeh is almost in love with the game, describing it as a delicate and intimate dance that only he can understand. His opponent, on the other hand, strikes him in frustration, unable to enjoy the game in the same way Gurgeh does. While Gurgeh is simply trying to find a way out of his mid-life crisis, his opponent is striving to prove his superiority over the entire Culture.
The book is truly excellent. For some reason, I don't usually enjoy sci-fi as much, but this one was well worth the read. It has a slightly slower start that might cause you to put the book down if you're not immediately engaged, but I encourage you to persevere until you finish chapter 1 before deciding whether to DNF it. The writing style is absolutely insane (in a good way), and I fell in love with many passages. The plot, initially seemingly going nowhere, eventually picks up and takes off. Even when I predicted certain moments, the writing style and the characters' personal journeys made it an enjoyable read. I give it a strong 4 Gurgehs out of 5 unpronounceable names. What a great read!
Here are some of my favorite out-of-context quotes that may give you a sense of why I fell in love with the writing style:

"Gurgeh watched the screen.
Flere-Imsaho watched Gurgeh.
The man's eyes glittered in the screen-light, unused photons reflecting from the halo of iris. The pupils widened at first, then shrank, became pinpoints. The drone waited to the wide, staring eyes to fill with moisture, for the tiny muscles around the eyes to flinch and the eyelids to close and the man to shake his head and turn away, but nothing of the sort happened. The screen held his gaze, as though the infinitesimal pressure of light it spent upon the room had somehow reversed, and so sucked the watching man forward, to hold him, teetering before the fall, fixed and steady and pointed at the flickering surface like some long-stilled moon."

"There was a strange metallic taste in his mouth, and at first he thought it was the implant, rejecting, surfacing, for some reason reappearing, but then he knew that it wasn't, and realized, for the first time in his life, that fear really did have a taste."