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jeghc's review against another edition
2.0
Graphic: Torture and Violence
carthyn's review against another edition
Graphic: Body horror, Fatphobia, Gore, Sexism, Torture, Excrement, Vomit, Cannibalism, and Injury/Injury detail
WHY IS THIS SO POPULAR?prosenheim's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Death, Torture, Violence, Cannibalism, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Animal death, Confinement, Gore, Gun violence, Sexism, Suicide, Excrement, Vomit, Religious bigotry, and War
Minor: Drug use and Pregnancy
fahyhallowell's review against another edition
3.0
Graphic: Body shaming, Torture, Cannibalism, Murder, and War
Moderate: Genocide, Gore, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Animal cruelty, Animal death, and Sexual content
gilgalad's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Graphic: Fatphobia, Torture, Violence, Blood, and Cannibalism
el_pato_gigante's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Death, Gore, Gun violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Cannibalism, Medical trauma, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Fatphobia, Xenophobia, and Excrement
Minor: Alcoholism, Confinement, Drug abuse, Drug use, Infertility, Sexual content, Vomit, Medical content, Religious bigotry, Abortion, Pregnancy, and Alcohol
jaji's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Far less graphic after the initial third of the book.
It wandered a bit, showcasing different parts of the Culture universe. It was mostly enjoyable but shouldn't have been the series start. I also think it would have been better if about 100 paged had been cut.
---
DNF 22 SEPT 2022
The graphic content got a bit much. I'll try to reread this in a better headspace.
Graphic: Torture, Excrement, and Cannibalism
shanekate's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Graphic: Death, Gore, Gun violence, Racism, Torture, Violence, Excrement, Vomit, Cannibalism, Religious bigotry, Murder, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Fatphobia, Xenophobia, and War
Minor: Drug use and Abortion
Very graphic.anna_green's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Excrement and Vomit
Moderate: Torture
nnia's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This is Space Opera. This is violent. This is a long rambling science fiction novel. This was very new territory when it was written. If you are impatient with an interrogative bent this is probably not the book to start with and maybe not the series for you.
Banks is giving Space Opera, Banks is giving atmosphere, Banks is giving adventure, Banks is giving nuance. In spades.
Also plowing new ground. This is a new genre/sub genre, AI. AI/humanoid symbiosis.
This is the first book written in the culture series and is written from an outsider’s perspective, that of Horza, a spy from a race of shapeshifters, don’t consider this a spoiler as it’s in the first chapter where you meet the main character, hired by the Iridians to move against the Culture.
I feel as though the author Ian M. Banks is sneaking up on the main subject matter of the series, that of a prodigiously long lived, very successful (certainly by 21st century humans POV) integrated AI/humanoid society/symbiosis of, the Culture. Horza is an interesting, resourceful, intelligent and sensitive person, as sensitive as he can be as a hired gun, aware of and encountering many instances of flaws in different societies
As someone who works in the AI field I enjoy these books enormously.
As I said before this is the first book written and readers will learn more about the Culture in subsequent novels.
Graphic: Cannibalism, Car accident, and Colonisation
Moderate: Confinement, Gun violence, Racism, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Kidnapping, Murder, Colonisation, and War
Minor: Gore and Sexual content