Book Review

USE OF WEAPONS by Iain M. Banks

The 3rd novel is The Culture Series continues the Banks' exploration of the question 'What does one do in a post-scarcity anarchist utopia to find meaning in life?' As with the prior two novels, the answer is 'Colonize someone.'

At the centre of the plot is the question of what drives the central protagonist to do what he does - himself the living embodiment of a weapon - and likewise asks why and how do utopian pacifists actively bring social change and awareness to those who don't want it. It's like a Prime Directive episode of Star Trek only with more fighting, sex and genital mutilation where the goal is to do the opposite of the Prime Directive.

The thing that makes this novel great (Or pretentious as all hell) is it's non-linear structure: The prologue & epilogue take place after the events of the novel. The odd numbered chapters move the plot forward in time but also contain numerous flashbacks. The even numbered chapters move backwards in time from the climax of the novel but are occasionally told out of synch and also contain numerous flashbacks. The is a second epilogue which is actually a prologue to a sequel which will never exist which occurs simultaneously with the other epilogue & prologue. If you're confused by this, don't even bother reading the book.

I've now read four of Bank's science fiction novels and find they only really offer diminishing returns from the greatness that was Consider Phlebas (For those who know me, I hold this in almost as high estimation as Hyperion). Thank goodness I'm done with the science fiction novels which he re-wrote from earlier unpublished drafts. I look forward to seeing what a more grown up Banks comes up with but I've only got the tolerance for two more Culture novels if they continue this kind of slide downwards.

The moral of the story: Don't make chairs out of people.