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I have to really recommend Against a Dark Background. By far my favorite Iain Banks book, and for me the next best SF book after Gene Wolfs "The Book of the New Sun" tetralogy and Dan Simmons "Hyperion" books. Someone wrote here that Against a Dark Background has a sad and gloomy mood to it, but I found it quite to the contrary a very sleek and fast paced. Like an adventure novel for a mature audience.
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Feb 23, 2009 08:35
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In my German edition of Consider Phlebas there is a foreword by Ken MacLeod where he interprets the conflict between the Culture and the Idirans on the background of the Soviet invasion in Afghanistan during the 80's. Back then we, the West, supported the Mujahedin against the Red Army, and they were often glorified as god fearing rebels against the soulless, cold, atheistic war machine of the red army. Consider Phelebas was written during that time frame. According to MacLeod the Culture symbolizes a kind of idealized communist state, a benevolent and sophisticated social order, but also one that has lost it's soul along the way, while the Idirans are primitive and violent, but have a more "natural" society, compared to the Culture. Horza, the protagonist, supports the Idirans, because he loathes the well meaning homogenization of the Cultures influence on the universe. There is a similiar theme in Use of Weapons. Zakalwe doesn't really like the culture even though he works for them. He dislikes their unpassionate efficiency, as he says himself in the book. DeusEx fucked around with this message at 12:24 on Jul 28, 2009 |
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Jul 28, 2009 12:21
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