Kevin Kuhn's Reviews > The Player of Games

Jernau Morat Gurgeh is a master “Player of Games.” In fact, he is so masterful, that he is becoming jaded and cynical. His success allows him to live an idyllic existence surrounded by friends and admirers. Like a mountain climber who has crested Everest, what’s left? Cue a series of events that will lead him to a hidden empire – The Empire of Azad. This entire culture is built around a game – a game so complex that the winner becomes the emperor.

I greatly enjoyed this novel mostly due to its fresh, unique storyline. I guess the only thing that comes close in my reading history was “Ender’s Game.” You can feel the clarity of plot that Banks had in his mind when he wrote this and that makes it an accessible and engrossing tale. In addition, the Culture universe is complex and sophisticated, filled with cool space megastructure, amazing ships, and interesting AI self-aware minds and drones. This is my second read in the Culture universe and it’s a fun place to explore.

As to downsides, my primary disappointment was with the Empire of Azad itself. I liked the ambiguity of ‘Consider Phlebas,’ where it was often difficult to determine who to root for. In that tale the main character saw flaws in both the Idirans and the Culture and that led to subtleties and a realistic texture. In this book, while there are still flaws in the Culture’s approach, once the underbelly of the Empire of Azad is revealed, there is no longer any doubt of who to favor and that weakens that plot in my opinion. At that moment, you know how the book must end. I also felt like Gurgeh accepted some plot points way too easily, which went against his earlier-established character and values. Unfortunately, I can’t explain this deeply without revealing spoilers. None of this ruined the novel, but ultimately, it lessened the ending greatly in my opinion.

Four puzzle-pieced stars for this wildly imaginative, energetically paced, and intellectually constructed space opera entry into the Culture universe. You’ll want to break out your Risk Shadow Forces board game (or any sci-fi related complex strategy game) after you’ve read the last word.