Consider Phlebas starts off promisingly. The action-packed opening also provides a conceptual framework for the Idiran-Culture War, the main conflict of the novel. This opening provides exactly what I was looking for in my second venture into the universe. I’ve been captivated by the concept the post-scarcity, socialist/anarchist, utopian society of the Culture and Consider Phlebas opens with what is essentially a philosophical debate about the society our protagonist views as atheistic, decadent and machine-controlled. The problems begin after this opening. After the main plot is established the book takes a 300 page detour before returning to it and the war itself is relegated to the background in favour of a rollicking action-adventure story; one which mostly fails address the philosophical questions raised in the first chapter. Ultimately the story feels like it would rather be a Hollywood movie, populated by mostly stock characters and consisting almost entirely of action set-pieces. Don’t get me wrong- the concepts for each action sequence are all spectacular; the megaships, the cannibalistic religious cult, the game of ‘Damage’, the Planet of the Dead and indeed the Culture itself are all testaments to Banks’ outrageous imagination and would all have been terrifically exciting if they came second to character development and weren’t simply sequenced one after the other.

Excellent writing by Banks. Unfortunately the story didn't click with me the way I wanted it to. While the first half truly captivated me, the other half was kind of meh. I am going to read the second book though, because I've heard it's much better and is generally one of the best in the series.

Not the place to start. Prose is a bit flat, the plot a bit neat (now you are in space. now you have a ship). But it also has the most focussed treatment of the key tension of the series: what does the Absolute Liberal do with their enemies? What about people who don't want freedom, tolerance, management, intervention, rational subalterity?

I think this book is just OK, and even a bit cheesy at times. It definitely has its moments and interesting characters, but it gets to be fairly predictable. Hope the follow on books are better

3.25 stars. I usually struggle with older sci-fi, and while I don't really understand what was going on here, I didn't hate it or have as many problems with it as I have in the past! It was the weird kind of sci-fi I enjoy, but it was a bit dense at times.

I wasn't really into this. Many aspects I didn't like, that really made it drag for me. I'd be willing to give it another go or try some others in the series, but I won't be seeking them out or re-reading anytime soon. Quite disappointed, as I'd heard really good things.

Great story, satisfying if saddening end.

This book is criminally boring. I imagine in ‘88 it was riveting but I think the genre has catabolized this formula as it is intensely predictable and tropey. Hey meet some gay characters that, for some reason have to speak in broken English; never mind they’re dead shortly after anyways. Most of the characters don’t feel lived in and real, only lenses for which Banks to spout political views, often at the expense of peripheral characters like the love interest. All to educate the unlikable and bland Horza until such time as exposition to contextualize the political views need to take place; then he and Yalson actually start thinking and considering things beyond their own shitty actions. It just felt completely unbelievable. I did like the writing style sometimes and I liked the intent of the political views, just did not care for the execution. I’ve heard later books are much better, so will try the next one despite how annoying and boring this one was.

interesting take on SciFi.

Already reviewed another version

decent book with an interesting premise. I just kept finding myself not caring as much as I thought I should. great series for some, but I'd rather read other things

Really good scifi, I've enjoyed pretty much the whole book. It's different than "Use of Weapons" and "Matter" (bonus points to Mr. Banks here!); but judging from the few Culture novels I've read so far I think I prefer the "later" ones.

It seemed to be all over the place. He seemed to have trouble deciding whether to write a story about the main characters, of a grand treatise on the new world he created, and they ended up conflicting rather that meshing. (view spoiler)[And killing almost all the characters was a bit of a downer as well. (hide spoiler)]