Consider Phlebas

De: Iain M. Banks

Narrado por: Peter Kenny

The first book in Iain M. Banks's seminal science fiction series, The Culture. Consider Phlebas introduces readers to the utopian conglomeration of human and alien races that explores the nature of war, morality, and the limitless bounds of mankind's imagination.

The war raged across the galaxy. Billions had died, billions more were doomed. Moons, planets, the very stars themselves, faced destruction, cold-blooded, brutal, and worse, random. The Idirans fought for their Faith; the Culture for its moral right to exist. Principles were at stake. There could be no surrender.

Within the cosmic conflict, an individual crusade. Deep within a fabled labyrinth on a barren world, a Planet of the Dead proscribed to mortals, lay a fugitive Mind. Both the Culture and the Idirans sought it. It was the fate of Horza, the Changer, and his motley crew of unpredictable mercenaries, human and machine, actually to find it, and with it their own destruction.

The Culture is a magnificent and enticing vision.

I don't know why I'd never heard of Banks or the Culture before. After finally discovering and consuming what little of the series we've got on offer here at Audible, I've started to see references to it everywhere. Go figure. But if you, like me, are into the kind of science fiction that rewards a thinking and speculative approach, then you'd do well not to let this series pass you by. Iain is deathlessly funny in the blackest of black ways, and the narrator's quick and cunning reading really highlights the flippantly grim nature of the galaxy in which the Culture thrives--seriously, tried listening to some other Culture books with another narrator who tried this whole somber style, really didn't work out.

Consider Phlebas is the story of a war between the hyperliberal semi-transcendental post-human Culture civilization, the quintessential 'good guys' of a near-endpoint technological civilization, and a race of near-immortal warrior-poet types spreading their religion to the galaxy. Yeah, yeah, it sounds preachy, but it ain't. Through three or four intertwined narratives (the Culture books almost always do that Charles Stross thing where stories with unclear connections come together to a harmonious narrative), we get to know the civilizations we're looking into and watch as they breach the territory of a genuinely transcendent godlike mega-species, the Culture to rescue one of its own artificial intelligences, their enemies to capture that same mind for the technology it will offer them. But the plot, elegant though it is, isn't even the best part; it's the beautifully flowering exposition of the society of the galaxy, which Banks pulls off with an impossible grace. You'll wanna go there.

Just get it! You won't regret it, swear.

Good universe, crummy story

I listened to this because it was included on several lists of the best sci-fi of all time. The world building was amazing, consistent and interesting space-opera setup.

The main character was pretty interesting too, at least at the start getting into all sorts of scrapes and meeting interesting people (and killing them).

The problems kicked in about half way through. The super-proficient cyborg mutant killer suddenly becomes plot-blind to EVERYTHING. I was thinking he might die by peeing in the fusion drive because his brain fell out. And then a suuuuuper forced plot point involving a pregnancy that I think was supposed to make the characters seem more likeable but just made them seem like simpering idiots all of a sudden. Every chance to let the antagonists continue to be antagonists it taken gleefully. Every chance for the antihero to make terrible choices is also taken. Oh, and the primary driving question for our antihero (why does he work for who he does, and is he right to do so) is dealt with vaguely and unrealistically until a postscript that basically says "Oh yeah, the right answer to that complex moral question was X because it was not actually complex I was just wasting your time".

I don't know the rest of the authors work but based on this book I would say he can make a kick-ass worlds but can't plot/character his way out of a wet sack.

Welcome to the Culture

This is the first novel Iain Banks' Culture series and actually one of the first novels penned by the beloved author. It's a Space Opera set during the Idiran Culture War, but past that it's difficult to explain the plot without spoilers.

Honestly, this is a bit of a mixed bag. On the plus side, Banks plays around with some fascinating concepts throughout the book, such as the practical costs of maintaining a technological utopia. On the down side, it's very clear that he's still learning his craft and as a result the first two thirds of this are a bit of a slog to get through. That said, the final third of the story really picks up and I'm definitely interested enough to keep going. Also, Peter Kenny turns in a terrific performance. If you're a completionist, I'd recommend this. If not, you might want to start with Bank's second Culture novel, The Player of Games, instead.

great!

Where does Consider Phlebas rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

very nice

What did you like best about this story?

great intro to the culture universe

What does Peter Kenny bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

I've read the book a few times and Mr. Kenny's performance helps set the tone further in my mind

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

some parts made me laugh, but it was mostly via Mr. Banks' storytelling

Any additional comments?

I will be getting Excession next, I really enjoyed reading that book.

it was OK.

not what I expected and the ending was not great ... anything else would have been better I just felt empty and I understand that characters don't always have to succeed and win for a good book but I've read books with a character died at the end and was still a good book