2.5 stars.

I'm not entirely certain whether I actually "liked" this particular work per se. In many respects, it is rather typical of Banks' fare. The prose, however, is more flowery and ornate than that of his science fiction novels.

Overall, I actually found this aspect somewhat enjoyable. Nevertheless, it was counterbalanced by the less imaginative setting and storyline.

This book is not for those who prefer happy endings, romance, and everything turning out perfectly. It might, however, be of interest to those who desire something offbeat, dark, and perhaps somewhat thought-provoking, or for those who haven't yet read another Banks novel.

Having said all that, I would first recommend other novels by Banks, and for the aforementioned purposes, I would still recommend other non-Banks novels first.

In 2008, I read it.

I wasn't sure if I liked it or not, and I said that I would read it again.

The time has not come yet :P

Expanded: In the year 2008, I happened to read this particular thing. At that time, I was really in a state of confusion as to whether I had a liking for it or not. So, I made a mental note that I would give it another read in the future to figure it out more clearly. However, as of now, that moment when I would reread it still hasn't arrived. I guess there are just so many other things that have taken precedence in my life since then. But I do still remember that initial encounter with it and the promise I made to myself to go through it again. Maybe one day, when the circumstances are just right, I will finally pick it up and see if my perception of it has changed. :P

Iain really reminds me of JG Ballard in this particular work, and in a very good way indeed.

It seems that he is probably making references to all sorts of European things that I simply couldn't fully understand or grasp.

However, overall, it was a really strange Gothic story that was interestingly mixed with elements of Mad Max, and it was actually quite cool.

At the moment, I am reading his Culture series, and I'm really excited because I'm getting to the parts that are more highly regarded within that series.

I'm looking forward to seeing what else this talented author has in store for me as I continue my reading journey through his works.

I have a feeling that there are many more unique and captivating stories waiting to be discovered.

I don't really know what to think of it.

The writing is truly captivating and extremely well crafted. However, the characters all possess nearly no redeeming values.

It is set, seemingly in Bosnia, in the pre 9/11 world of 1997. Back then, that was perhaps the worst we could imagine...and in many ways, it really was.

Maybe Banks' intention was to make us all feel sick to our stomachs. If that was the case, then mission accomplished.

Yet, it also legitimately pales in comparison to the true atrocities that actually took place there.

The story leaves a strange and somewhat uncomfortable feeling, making one question the nature of the characters and the events that unfold.

It makes us realize how complex and often disturbing the world can be, even in fictional accounts.

Despite its flaws, there is something about it that keeps pulling us in and making us think.

“Not a book for everyone”, or so one review read. And it truly isn't. The book isn't at all melodramatic, which I'm beginning to understand is not Banks' style. But oh boy, it depicts a hard life, doesn't it?

Mainly if your name is Abel and you're held hostage in your own castle by a band of mercenaries. You have to watch your castle being sacrilegiously destroyed, your girlfriend (whose relationship nature I won't disclose) is stolen right from under you (and she's quite willing, I might add). You get thrown in a deep well, pissed and vomited upon, shot in the head, and have to wade through a moat while a bunch of cruel soldiers dip said girlfriend in the water as if the water is guacamole and the girl a tortilla chip. She dies, of course, the castle is gone, and Abel dies after being tied to a cannon. It's a really hard life indeed.

Once again, I'm glad it wasn't melodramatic because I surely couldn't have endured all that if the protagonist had been weepy about it. Although, I think that's also the tragedy of the book. It's filled with many philosophical truths that any reader must have considered at some point in their life, so they're all distinctly recognizable. Yet, they (nor the protagonist who voices these truths) don't evoke empathy or any such warmth as one might expect, but rather a sense of perversion and shame. Surely this is the point, but why should it be the case?

The sentences are beautifully crafted, the allegories are precisely what I could hope for (too elaborate and complicated for daily conversation, that is). The abuse of the protagonist (and the protagonist himself) is blatant and immoral. I concluded that it must be because the book, the story, and its characters all reek of decay, ruin, and human gracelessness. Even the sense of mourning over the destruction of a beautiful castle and its rich-people paraphernalia is essentially graceless, and the sense of poetry that Abel tries to frame it with is even more so. The main character is outwardly graceful, and one feels sorry for his downfall, but only because it's all from his perspective. There's almost no intrinsic human value to him when compared to the other characters (although I do like him better than any of the others). He's simply the biggest loser in the game. Poor, poor Abel, and yet – what could have been done? “Perhaps we think up our own destinies, and so in a sense deserve whatever happens to us, for not having had the wit to imagine something better”.

I gave this a rating of 2 stars. The reason for this is that I firmly believe Iain Banks is a better writer than what is represented in this particular story. His prose is truly superb, yet it fails to salvage this narrative, such as it is. Perhaps I have been spoiled by some of his other outstanding works. However, I must admit that this one is rather dull. It lacks the excitement and depth that I have come to expect from Iain Banks. The story seems to plod along without any real momentum or purpose. The characters are not fully developed, and the plot is rather thin. I found myself losing interest halfway through. It's a shame because I know Iain Banks is capable of much better.

I will continue to read his other works in the hope of finding that same level of brilliance that I have experienced in the past. But for now, this particular offering falls short of my expectations.

A world that has descended into brutality presents a future filled with war at every turn and people devoid of society, becoming more base. This is the setting of a well-written book that centers around one family and their castle. The description of this world and the events that unfold are extremely real and believable. However, I found it quite challenging to get through the book as none of the characters were likable individuals. They did feel real, but I simply couldn't muster any sympathy for them. It's as if they were all products of this harsh and unforgiving world, and their actions and personalities were shaped by the brutality that surrounded them. Despite the realistic portrayal, the lack of likable characters made it a bit of a struggle to fully engage with the story.

4 1/2 is an extremely poetic novel, the first book told in the first person and in the present tense that I have consciously read. It has made me want to take pictures of entire pages. (For me, that's saying a lot.)

It is also the first book that I could describe as eschatological because the descriptions are so tangible that sometimes you would prefer they were omitted, but they still have their point.

Towards the end, it provides very human reflections that perhaps, if spread throughout the book, would not have the harshness they carry. (There are also reflections throughout the book, but the important ones for me are at the end.) A fascinating surprise. It is true that the book is a bit heavy because of this load of 'unnecessary' verses for the development of the story, but without them, the work would not be half as good. I had never heard of the author before. I found this book by chance in the library, and what a lucky find! There are many flashbacks - reading a bit more about the author, I believe they are common in his work - that help to complete the overall picture of the story and the characters. The pages end, and you haven't understood many things, but you sense them, and they are nothing that will help you better understand the context because you already have that with the great writing of Iain Banks. And if he hasn't told you something, it's surely because you didn't need to know it. I hope to read more of his books.

I liked this review: http://www.escritoenelagua.com/2006/1...

I can't say I enjoyed this book at all.

To be honest, I don't think it had much to do with the writing style. It was simply that there wasn't much of a story to hold my interest.

The whole time I was reading, I felt a little bit cheated out of what I expected to be a great Iain Banks novel.

I've seen reviews that seem to be split right down the middle, with some people loving it and others feeling the same way I do.

I'm really curious to see what you think of it. Maybe you'll have a completely different perspective and be able to point out things that I missed.

Either way, I think it's important to read a variety of opinions and make up your own mind about a book.

Who knows, maybe upon a second read, I'll discover something that I overlooked the first time around.

Well, this was thoroughly disappointing.

The way it’s written is still good, because it’s Banks. His writing style is always engaging and captivating. However, the story itself is just dark and graphic for the sake of being dark and graphic.

Explicit violence is commonplace enough that you’ll be desensitised by the halfway point. It seems that every other page there is some form of brutal and gory scene. This overabundance of violence takes away from the impact it could have had.

As a result, the finale - which I’m sure was supposed to be shocking - just sort of dull. By the time you reach the end, you’ve become so numbed to the violence that it fails to have the desired effect.

I’m sure there’s a message of some variety buried within the various unspeakable things that occur in the story. But it’s so deeply hidden that it’s almost impossible to find.

Definitely one to skip. There are far better books out there that can offer a more meaningful and engaging reading experience.

To be honest, I prefer his other works.

His Culture series is indeed well-written, but in my opinion, Michael Marshall Smith does it even better.

The Culture series has its own charm, with its complex world-building and thought-provoking concepts. However, Michael Marshall Smith's writing style is more engaging and immersive.

His characters are more vivid and relatable, and the stories he tells have a greater emotional impact.

Perhaps it's a matter of personal taste, but for me, Michael Marshall Smith's works stand out among the rest.

I look forward to seeing what he comes up with next.

In the book, it is very vividly described how people degrade during wars, what atrocities they commit just for fun, just because they survived today.

And in principle, it is understandable that the main characters of this story could be anyone: Reds, Whites, fascists, Afghans, Albanians, Americans, Mexicans...

The evaluation is 2.5, - it didn't fit.

This description of the degradation of people in war is truly eye-opening. It makes us realize the brutality and inhumanity that can occur in such situations. The fact that anyone could be the protagonist in this story shows the universality of the issue.

We should be警醒 by such accounts and strive to prevent wars and the resulting atrocities from happening.

Perhaps through education and promoting peace, we can hope to create a world where people do not have to experience the horror and degradation described in the book.

Overall, this book offers a powerful and thought-provoking look at the dark side of human nature during times of war.