• Use of Weapons

  • By: Iain M. Banks
  • Narrated by: Peter Kenny
  • Length: 13 hrs and 29 mins
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars (2,097 ratings)

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Use of Weapons  By  cover art

Use of Weapons

By: Iain M. Banks
Narrated by: Peter Kenny
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Publisher's summary

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

What listeners say about Use of Weapons

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
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    1,332
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Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Challenging to follow but rewarding!

Overall I liked the book. I was a bit lost in parts but once it was complete I was glad I put the work in for the ride. More of the Culture from Banks mind. Good stuff if you like his worlds. looking forward to the next Culture series.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Great book, great perfomance

I love the Culture series by Iain Banks and I love Peter Kenny's performance. Banks's world is interesting, fun and a little scary. Peter Kenny does a masterful job voicing a wide range of characters. The twin story lines, one unfolding in reverse, is a little confusing at times via audiobook and I wonder if it would have been easier to read. Despite that, I really enjoyed the story and the delivery.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Versatile Character voicing

Peter Kenny is a solid voice actor and switches between accents and character voices wonderfully.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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  • DL
  • 01-06-15

Study of Culture contradictions and challenges

Any additional comments?

Although a bit of a challenge to listen to (see other reviews addressing the book's structure,) this is a great examination of the contradictions and resulting conflict the Culture generates as it seeks to exert maximum influence with minimal intervention in maturing societies. Especially when imperfect humans are added to the mix.

The unusual structure of the story makes it a very unique and enjoyable listen. Exploring the path back to the beginning as the current story progresses - creates a very interesting simultaneous anticipation of both the past and the future.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

My favorite so far in a great series.

The character of Zakalwe, and the light touch of the Culture make this book a great story, and an amazing character profile.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

True Fan of Iain M. Banks

this was a complex story which in the end pulled everything together. but I may need to read it once or twice more to really understand it. the sad description of war can be overwhelming.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

very good - tricky to follow - but captivating

story is very good. performance is exceptional. Banks creates and maintains a seriously dark universe. the interleaved storylines traveling in opposite chronologies are tricky to follow but worth it.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Good but hard to follow.

Very good story but extremely hard to follow with just audio. Where the previous books were fairly linear stories, this one was filled with flashbacks that were hard to follow without seeing the change in chapters.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Heading

Confused about the end of the story! I am easily drawn into stories. This one was pretty good.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

2nd best of the first 3 in the Culture series

Not as good as Player of Games when it comes to favoring vivid world building and character development over action, but definitely still better than Consider Phlebias if you ask me.

The mixed-chronology gimmick here is pretty effective but.. feels like a gimmick . Otherwise, the whole thing was really enjoyable. Perhaps more than the first 2, this books gives a lot or great breadcrumbs for what The Culture is and how it works, as well as continuing to amusingly blend the agency of exceptional humans with the near omnipotence of AI 'Minds'. Banks is very clever to have taken me this far while keeping me guessing at whose side (morally) he's on, or what the ultimate distribution of power is in his universe.

too bad the next few books in the series aren't on Audible. Guess I'll have to buy them from a competitor :-(

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