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manuphoto 's review for:
Use Of Weapons
by Iain M. Banks
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
An excellent read. The more I read Banks, the more I appreciate his style and imagination.
Use of Weapons has a unique structure—one that could easily have been a disaster in the hands of a lesser writer. But Banks pulls it off magnificently. The two narratives involving Zakalwe are extremely well interwoven and very gripping. Banks also manages to weave in a fair dose of humour to make the whole experience more palatable, despite some very dark and brutal passages.
The dynamics between the Culture and other civilizations are fascinating, but this novel is truly about its characters, and they are superb. The entire cast is well-drawn, but Zakalwe, in particular, is both original and deeply troubling. I thoroughly enjoyed this and can’t recommend it highly enough.
Use of Weapons has a unique structure—one that could easily have been a disaster in the hands of a lesser writer. But Banks pulls it off magnificently. The two narratives involving Zakalwe are extremely well interwoven and very gripping. Banks also manages to weave in a fair dose of humour to make the whole experience more palatable, despite some very dark and brutal passages.
The dynamics between the Culture and other civilizations are fascinating, but this novel is truly about its characters, and they are superb. The entire cast is well-drawn, but Zakalwe, in particular, is both original and deeply troubling. I thoroughly enjoyed this and can’t recommend it highly enough.