Use of Weapons

By: Iain M. Banks

Narrated by: Peter Kenny

The man known as Cheradenine Zakalwe was one of Special Circumstances' foremost agents, changing the destiny of planets to suit the Culture through intrigue, dirty tricks, and military action.

The woman known as Diziet Sma had plucked him from obscurity and pushed him toward his present eminence, but despite all their dealings she did not know him as well as she thought.

The drone known as Skaffen-Amtiskaw knew both of these people. It had once saved the woman's life by massacring her attackers in a particularly bloody manner. It believed the man to be a lost cause. But not even its machine could see the horrors in his past.

Ferociously intelligent, both witty and horrific, Use of Weapons is a masterpiece of science fiction.

©1990 Iain M Banks (P)2013 Hachette Audio

Good Mystery w/ no Culture

What did you love best about Use of Weapons?

If your every listened to Banks novel "Consider Phlebas", well, you're in for the same kind of thing. If you want to hear a story told from the perspective of an AI persona -= THIS AINT IT. The story was well written (technique was 1st rate), but it did make me wish they would just tell me why the protagonist was so messed-up (you learn that at the VERY END of the story). Also, the narrator does a good job, as always. I have to say that I rated it a 4 (instead of a 5), because it was not up to the standard of other Culture novels such as "Player of Games" or "Surface Detail" (both 1st rate; buy them now if your haven't listened yet). But, I this novel was still a whole lot better than a lot of other stuff that I rated a 4.

Stellar

Great story...will remember this work for a long time to come. Banks has an incredible imagination.

Great ending, but not as detailed as other stories

What made the experience of listening to Use of Weapons the most enjoyable?

Great interesting world and amazing ending.

What other book might you compare Use of Weapons to and why?

The first two books dug deeper into world building, this one doesn't provide as much backstory to all the characters involved nor spends as much time in one place so it isn't as deeply fulfilled.

Which scene was your favorite?

End twist

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

hard to stop listening to

Solid Culture novel

It’s a book in the Culture series. If you want more Culture books, it delivers. The non-linear storytelling is not my cup of tea, but it’s surprisingly engaging regardless.

wow

like its hard to say how great this was, I loved every second of it. not as straight to the point and easy to pick up as player of games but the prose THE PROSE is so good. twist was ok, lots of hints here and there.

THE FACT THAT THE NEXT FEW BOOKS AREN'T AVAILABLE DUE TO REGION LOCK MAKES ME VERY SAD

Harder the Second Time Around

I have not read this since it first came out. The ending section hits post-PTSD me a lot harder than decades ago pre-PTSD me.

An interesting format and great ending

The disjointed, non-linear telling of the story in Use of Weapons pulled me along and had me drinking in every detail. The final detail that ties everything up was a great payoff. Great book!

story structure most engaging

good story masterfully read. kept me engaged throughout. a good book series. the author at peak skil.

LISTEN TO THIS BOOK TWICE!

The way this story unfolds offers a totally unique and brilliant experience that really blew me away. There are many moments where the story feels disjointed, or that you missed an important piece of information early on that's being referenced as background knowledge. towards the final quarter of the story though, things really start to click into place as more information is revealed. The end brings everything together, and will rock you.

If you immediately start the book over again, scenes that worked in a metaphorical sense initially will take on new and more in depth meanings. I fully believe the author intended the readers to read the book again after finishing it the first time- It offers an entirely new, beautifully deep experience once you start with the whole picture already revealed.

The fact that the author was even able to come up with such a complex narrative concept, and to employ it with such skill and emotional depth absolutely boggles my mind. What an incredible experience, and please, PLEASE finish it twice!

Best Culture novel I’ve read yet.

This is the fourth Culture novel I’ve listened to and is now my favorite. The order I read the books so far have been ‘A Player of Games’, ‘Consider phlebas’, ‘Surface Detail’ and now ‘Use of weapons’. This book is truly unique compared to the others I have read in the way that the characters are developed and in Peter Kenney’s excellent performance. I highly recommend this book but only for folks that have read atleast one Culture novel previously so that you are familiar with GSVs, SC, etc.