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The Player of Games (Culture, #2)

Iain M. Banks

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Dec 15, 2015 Wealhtheow rated it really liked it

Shelves: sci-fi, queer-characters, pocmaincharacters

Gurgeh is a famous game player in the Culture (a galaxy spanning post-scarcity federation bound together by AI Minds). Although he has everything he could ever want, there's a certain lack of excitement to his life. Then he (view spoiler), and to save his reputation and sense of self from the public revelation of this, he takes up a challenge from Contact--to learn to play a alien empire's game. The Azad Empire is so entwined with the game play of A Gurgeh is a famous game player in the Culture (a galaxy spanning post-scarcity federation bound together by AI Minds). Although he has everything he could ever want, there's a certain lack of excitement to his life. Then he (view spoiler), and to save his reputation and sense of self from the public revelation of this, he takes up a challenge from Contact--to learn to play a alien empire's game. The Azad Empire is so entwined with the game play of Azad that it permeates every component of their society, from the way they build families to how they wage war. Gurgeh is quickly intrigued by the game, and devotes himself to learning it over the two years it takes to voyage to the Empire. Gurgeh has lived his whole life in the comfort and care of the Culture, and abruptly finding himself in an empire that depends on hierarchy, capitalism, and aggressive dominance throws him for a complete loop. He is permitted to enter the Azad contest as a curiosity, an empty diplomatic gesture. After all, how could an alien understand, let alone master, a game that most spend 100+ years learning? To everyone's surprise, Gurgeh gets farther and farther into the contest, and the imperial PR team starts getting twitchy.

Even though I didn't actually like Gurgeh, or any of the other characters, this book kept me engrossed and at the edge of my seat. I actually had to put it down a few times because I was getting too tense while reading it. The climax had me almost breathless with interest, (view spoiler) ...more

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