Consider Phlebas - Iain M. Banks > Reviews > Considder Brain blowing si-fi

Author's product rating:   

Would you listen to it again?	Absolutely
Story	Outstanding
Characters	Outstanding
Listenability	Once you start it, you won't be able to switch it off!
How does it compare to audio works by the same author?	Excellent

Advantages:	Amaizing futuristic culture introduced to the world
Disadvantages:	none

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

Consider Phlebas is quite rightly a space opera! This stunning book is an inspiring introduction to the culture books.
The Culture well the culture is an enormous well culture comprising of many different humanoids and of course their famous machines who not only are considered sentient the also run the society .
The Humanoids of the culture lead fulfilling and essentially hedonistic lives Their activities trend towards maximising pleasure in life and spreading the benefits of their culture to any willing person.
They live on a variety of gigantic space ships and Orbitals which are like macro hula hoops with land on the inside held by artificial gravity due to its spin.

This book is set around the war between the large unisexed three legged Idirans who are religious fanatics conquering the universe and the culture whose machine human symbiosis seems blasphemous to the Idirans..
The Plot evolves around one Bora Horza Gobuchal a changer humanoid construct with the ability to change his appearance plus a few added defences . He is working for the Idirans and is in a mission to capture a culture mind . Along the way he has a revolting imaginative brush with cannibalism ,a trip to a dead world and a cock up with lasers in a crystal temple.
Not to mention a dangerous game on an orbital soon to be annihilated.

This is a truly exceptional piece of sci-fi I love everything about this book from the mind blowing culture to their quirky robots. The characters are well built especially the intricacies of Horza do we like him do we not this endearing messed up hater of our beloved culture? Read and decide for your self it is a well worth adventure full of enticing twists. An awesome must read for all sci-fi fans.