Use of Weapons
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- Create Date：2021-11-17 09:54:11
- Update Date：2025-09-06
- Status：finish
- Author：Iain M. Banks
- ISBN：185723135X
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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 towards 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。
The woman known as Diziet Sma had plucked him from obscurity and pushed him towards 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。
Reviews
E
，
This is my second Culture Novel， since I started with Consider Phlebas。 I read CP quite a long time ago and attempted to listen to The Player of Games on audiobook but didn't get very far。 I wish I would have started reading Culture with this novel， instead of CP。I enjoyed this novel quite a lot。 There was very good and gradual world building。 Thankfully I avoided spoilers but knew there were some twists。 There are two big spoilers in this novel and I am thankful that I avoided those。It took me This is my second Culture Novel， since I started with Consider Phlebas。 I read CP quite a long time ago and attempted to listen to The Player of Games on audiobook but didn't get very far。 I wish I would have started reading Culture with this novel， instead of CP。I enjoyed this novel quite a lot。 There was very good and gradual world building。 Thankfully I avoided spoilers but knew there were some twists。 There are two big spoilers in this novel and I am thankful that I avoided those。It took me a little while to realize that the book from a "current" perspective and a flashback and that these flashback chapters were counting down， assuming that they would eventually converge。 this caused me to anticipate SOMETHING coming。 Generally， I very much dislike flashbacks because they usually don't have much bearing on the current narrative and aren't that interesting， this is one of the things I dislike about Oathbringer by Brandon Sanderson。 In this case I really enjoyed these because many of these flashbacks felt eerie， alien and raised so many interesting questions about Zakalwe's past。 Fuse that with how these flashbacks converge at some point near the end of the novel really kept me enjoying these。 。。。more
Gordon
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Too slow in its build up to engage my interest， unfortunately。
Josh
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I don’t know why so many people dislike this book out of the series？ I thought that it fits into this universe just fine。 Yes it jumps around chronologically， and that throws you off the first couple times， but it’s still an excellent story！
charl
，
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers。 To view it， click here。 Following along on the main characters journey was awe inspiring。 The depth created in the character was well worth the confusing timeline and “short-stories” of his life。I felt like Zakalwes love life should’ve gotten more attention。 Almost felt like the author had plans for that part of his life， but threw it of to the wayside for other things/the length of the novel。The ending sent goosebumps down my spine and is to this day one of my favourite endings within a novel。
B
，
Great read。 I didn't think the twist ending was particularly interesting， but as I think about it， I'm liking it more。 I really enjoyed reading this though， regardless of the overall narrative。 Sci-fi writing is often not particularly high quality， but this was really fun to read。 Great read。 I didn't think the twist ending was particularly interesting， but as I think about it， I'm liking it more。 I really enjoyed reading this though， regardless of the overall narrative。 Sci-fi writing is often not particularly high quality， but this was really fun to read。 。。。more
Whisper19
，
This book！ Wow！I'll just put two things here （no spoilers）1） chapter IX might be one of the most beautiful things I've ever read2） the final two reveals are just WOW！！！ Did not see either of them coming。 don't let the book structure dissuade you from reading it。 It's just two narratives， and any reader worth its salt can catch on pretty soon to what's going on and then just enjoy the writing。 This book！ Wow！I'll just put two things here （no spoilers）1） chapter IX might be one of the most beautiful things I've ever read2） the final two reveals are just WOW！！！ Did not see either of them coming。 don't let the book structure dissuade you from reading it。 It's just two narratives， and any reader worth its salt can catch on pretty soon to what's going on and then just enjoy the writing。 。。。more
Srdan Dukic
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Great book and terrific ending。 One of my favourite Culture books so far。
Herrholz Paul
，
The thing which stood out for me in this novel was the emphasis on anachronism。 Elements of the mediaeval juxtaposed with the spacefaring。 The blunderbuss with the plasma gun。 The castle and the space craft。 In a flash back to a past experience， she appears to be in an inn at the Nativity， when she is threatened by a fire arm。 Maybe the assailant is an alien visitor， or are we in a parallel universe？ The idea of civilisations at different points of advancement is of course not new but Banks has The thing which stood out for me in this novel was the emphasis on anachronism。 Elements of the mediaeval juxtaposed with the spacefaring。 The blunderbuss with the plasma gun。 The castle and the space craft。 In a flash back to a past experience， she appears to be in an inn at the Nativity， when she is threatened by a fire arm。 Maybe the assailant is an alien visitor， or are we in a parallel universe？ The idea of civilisations at different points of advancement is of course not new but Banks has made this a major theme and employs it skillfully。 Also strangely， as the novel progresses and parts one， two， three etc。 unfold in the conventional way， headings appear in reverse order from XII back to I which adds to the mix。 So the narrative has been chopped up and the time line become fluid resulting in a strangely meandering experience which combined with the creative anachronistic play kept me entertained。 There is more of a compositional quality than a plot。 And as I approached the end I was enthused to a point where I would expect a standing ovation of some duration were this a stage production。 Finally， we are left with the realisation that the protagonist may all along have been impersonating another。 。。。more
Eric Hahn
，
Probably just me， but I found this a much harder read than the earlier 2 Culture books and didn't ever become particularly invested in the plot or the characters。1） The fluid timeline coupled with a reliance on pronouns made it harder for me to follow。 You could go many pages before you realize that "she" means Sma （or not）， "he" means a young Cheradenine （or not）。2） There just wasn't much about the Culture society or tech - this is really a story about a mercenary operative and his longtime han Probably just me， but I found this a much harder read than the earlier 2 Culture books and didn't ever become particularly invested in the plot or the characters。1） The fluid timeline coupled with a reliance on pronouns made it harder for me to follow。 You could go many pages before you realize that "she" means Sma （or not）， "he" means a young Cheradenine （or not）。2） There just wasn't much about the Culture society or tech - this is really a story about a mercenary operative and his longtime handler。 It's connection to the Culture is tenuous at best。"Your mileage may vary": I know many others liked it very much， so I don't want to discourage anyone else， but this didn't do it for me。 。。。more
Jordan Choy
，
Super interesting。 I think it can be read in reverse order of chapters so I'll do that someday Super interesting。 I think it can be read in reverse order of chapters so I'll do that someday 。。。more
Dana
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Engaging premise and characters with a garbage twist ending which completely ruins the book。 I continue to be highly meh on Ian Banks
Andrew Wingfield
，
Banks is genius， witty and poetic。 I don't generally like 'flash backs' and this is full of them。 Very cleverly written though with a twist at the end in true Banks style！ Great story。 Banks is genius， witty and poetic。 I don't generally like 'flash backs' and this is full of them。 Very cleverly written though with a twist at the end in true Banks style！ Great story。 。。。more
Joe
，
exceptional storytelling。 great stories， great insight into how the Culture & Contact work。 Banks paints with a grand， epic brush， sometimes in dark colors。 the title is a lovely bit of synecdoche， repeated at times throughout & perfectly representative of each of the individual stories， as well as the entire volume。
Paul Bellamy
，
This one is， IMO， where IMB really gets his teeth into the substance of The Culture， its implications， machinations and operations。It's beautifully written， giving a countdown and a count-up via alternating chapters， to end at a conclusion that is， on first reading， rather unsettling and， to me， very sad and downbeat。 A friend， in fact， was so upset by the ending， she told the gent in no uncertain terms what she thought， even though she admitted she thoroughly enjoyed the story。For me， it's the This one is， IMO， where IMB really gets his teeth into the substance of The Culture， its implications， machinations and operations。It's beautifully written， giving a countdown and a count-up via alternating chapters， to end at a conclusion that is， on first reading， rather unsettling and， to me， very sad and downbeat。 A friend， in fact， was so upset by the ending， she told the gent in no uncertain terms what she thought， even though she admitted she thoroughly enjoyed the story。For me， it's the perfect introduction to The Culture as a set of stories and a concept。 It shows Banks in full flight， with humour， violence， pathos， tragedy， sex， drugs and rock n roll and the whole shebang。 If that wasn't enough， it contains the funniest - and extremely violent - fight scene ever written。Throughout the book， there are many set pieces which you'll know immediately could become superb pieces in a film， should someone ever take this on。 There are plenty of action pieces for those of us who like big explody things， tons of humour and a lot of drinking。 A reviewer in the Times or Guardian once described IMB as the standard by which all SF is judged。 I wholeheartedly agree with this， and with that in mind， I say Use Of Weapons， for all Mr Banks has written since， remains at or near the top of my list。 。。。more
Don
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Probably should have read this one。 The back and forth in time is difficult to track in audio。
Scott Potter
，
My second attempt at the Culture Series。 The overall story and world is interesting， but I couldn't really relate to the characters。 The story is told in pieces over years; I'm not sure if I liked or disliked this style。 My second attempt at the Culture Series。 The overall story and world is interesting， but I couldn't really relate to the characters。 The story is told in pieces over years; I'm not sure if I liked or disliked this style。 。。。more
Mr Richard
，
Simply the best book in tEnglish he finest SF series。 Absolute masterpiece of imagination， plot characters and Shakespearean intrigue and twists，
Tim
，
The Culture novels have a lot of fun surface detail in common -- exciting plots， sarcastic AIs with amusing names -- atop a philosophical core that's more ambiguous than is sometimes apparent。 It's clear that Banks has thought a lot about the idea of the Culture （see this essay for more） and basically does conceive of it as a techno-socialist utopia。 From the glimpses we get of life inside the Culture， it basically does seem to work out great。 Realistically， who wouldn't want to be a citizen of The Culture novels have a lot of fun surface detail in common -- exciting plots， sarcastic AIs with amusing names -- atop a philosophical core that's more ambiguous than is sometimes apparent。 It's clear that Banks has thought a lot about the idea of the Culture （see this essay for more） and basically does conceive of it as a techno-socialist utopia。 From the glimpses we get of life inside the Culture， it basically does seem to work out great。 Realistically， who wouldn't want to be a citizen of an AI-optimized， post-scarcity world where your every need is met， and all that remains is to pursue your best life？And yet。 Most of the books mine their drama from the Culture's discontents -- either other societies opposed to their altruistic meddling or else those on the periphery who serve to highlight the limits of utopia。 A deep opposition to all forms of war and violence also pervades the books， maybe most especially in the ones with the highest body count。Use of Weapons uses a clever double-stranded narrative to zero in on the central truth of Cheradinine Zakalwe， a military genius who works as a fixer for the Culture， dropped into emerging societies to engineer the socio-political outcomes the Culture AIs have decided are best。 One strand， moving forward in time， tells the story of Zakalwe's latest adventure for the Culture， while the other strand， moving backwards in time， tells his origin， finally arriving at a reveal that all is not as it seemed。 The reveal is worth leaving unspoiled >> （view spoiler）[Zakalwe is revealed to be not the victim of a shocking act of violence， but its perpetrator。 His actions working with the Culture are not so much a search for justice， but rather for redemption。 The twist reminded me very strongly of Edwidge Danticat's haunting short story， The Book of the Dead。 The arc highlights the extent to which the Culture is willing to use violence and manipulation to achieve justice， or the "greater good。" But for all their sophistication， even the most advanced AIs can't fully grok human secrets， motivations or unintended consequences， and we're left with the impression that perhaps the Culture doesn't always know exactly what it is doing。Zakalwe's story doesn't end here， as he famously gets another big reveal， 800 years later， in Surface Detail， still searching for redemption。 （hide spoiler）] 。。。more
db
，
Good book
Sian Davis
，
3。。。I think？！？Actually felt like a slog to get through until the last 50 pages or so
Craig Codlin
，
I will likely read this again someday， which I almost never do。 Not just because it is so good， but because I want to read it once。。。 knowing。
Alex Wood
，
Great book
Bryan Turner
，
The story is told is a non-linear way， where， like all novels in the Culture Cycle， the appendices give much of the context of that you need to understand the charaters true motives in the story。
Brendan
，
Fantastic continuation of Banks' excellent Culture series。 This novel follows military genius Cheradenine Zakalwe as he goes on one last mission for The Culture， using his prowess to， once again， put right a world that was wrong。 The story weaves in and out from past to present， telling us why Zakalwe turned out how he did while continuing to teach us more about the Culture and how they work。A great tale of war and ethics and brutal decisions and vicious bureaucracy。 Fantastic continuation of Banks' excellent Culture series。 This novel follows military genius Cheradenine Zakalwe as he goes on one last mission for The Culture， using his prowess to， once again， put right a world that was wrong。 The story weaves in and out from past to present， telling us why Zakalwe turned out how he did while continuing to teach us more about the Culture and how they work。A great tale of war and ethics and brutal decisions and vicious bureaucracy。 。。。more
Joe Flynn
，
For me this was a confusing foray into the Culture universe。 And not only for the original sequencing device of one story and chapter told forwards with one backwards， alternatively。There is a big payoff right at the end， but it's a bit of a slog to get there。 I was quite bored for the first half of the story， there are scenes that make no sense at first， and extensive hide and seek sections。 Then there's a Brewster's millions chapter or two。 The technology levels of the planets visited is also For me this was a confusing foray into the Culture universe。 And not only for the original sequencing device of one story and chapter told forwards with one backwards， alternatively。There is a big payoff right at the end， but it's a bit of a slog to get there。 I was quite bored for the first half of the story， there are scenes that make no sense at first， and extensive hide and seek sections。 Then there's a Brewster's millions chapter or two。 The technology levels of the planets visited is also confusing - very much like WW2 with tanks， planes and battleships yet also a multi-planet space faring civilization？ Felt like it was relying on the literary device as opposed to world building。 I have read in published order， and have rated 5* 4* and 3* here。 It will need to pick up if I am to make it to book 9！ 。。。more
Robyn Blaber
，
I think that I was not as prepared to be as shocked as I was by the ending of this book。 The premise of all the books is that this giant "Culture" not unlike the more commonly known Federation on Star Trek， sails around the galaxy enlightening people on the proper way to behave。 The Culture are the galactic progressives who enslave robots and let people who whatever they want to do。 The only problem a citizen of the Culture might have is boredom or a feeling of uselessness。 Of course， we cheer f I think that I was not as prepared to be as shocked as I was by the ending of this book。 The premise of all the books is that this giant "Culture" not unlike the more commonly known Federation on Star Trek， sails around the galaxy enlightening people on the proper way to behave。 The Culture are the galactic progressives who enslave robots and let people who whatever they want to do。 The only problem a citizen of the Culture might have is boredom or a feeling of uselessness。 Of course， we cheer for the culture。。。 mostly because the alternatives are very bad。Ridding the universe of "the bad" involves bad things。 The Nazis， for example， didn't stop being Nazis because someone sent them a terse letter。 Nice and otherwise progressive people had to take up arms and shoot the Nazis until there were too few of them to be a problem。 Not nice。 So here we are in a Culture that is nice， but does things that are not nice to expand its "probably mostly right， but not exactly right" culture onto other cultures through means that are also "not exactly right"。 The means， particularly those described by the end of this book， were extremely "not exactly right"。 So this one made me think。 Culture。。。 at what cost？Recommended highly， can't wait for the next in the series。 。。。more
David
，
Didn't resonate with me。 It was very cleverly crafted from a narrative POV， but I came away not understanding or sympathizing with the main character （or any others） Didn't resonate with me。 It was very cleverly crafted from a narrative POV， but I came away not understanding or sympathizing with the main character （or any others） 。。。more
John P
，
womp womp
Ian Scott
，
Familiar Banksian juxtapositions of violence and humour， with subtle links and strands running through it hinting at the twists and denouement。 Less hard-going on a second read 25 years after the first On a third read I might alter the order of chapters to the linear narrative indicated by the chapter numbering。
Izzi
，
Third read and I still love this book
Reference
google book https://www.google.com/search?tbm=bks&q=Use of Weapons
hathitrust digital library https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/ls?q1=Use of Weapons&field1=ocr&a=srchls&ft=ft&lmt=ft
The British Library https://bll01.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/search?query=any,contains,Use of Weapons&tab=LibraryCatalog&search_scope=Not_BL_Suppress&vid=44BL_INST:BLL01&lang=en&offset=0