Sci-fi and Heroic Fantasy discussion

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The Player of Games
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The Player of Games by Iain M. Banks
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Randy wrote: "I pronounce it "GUR-geh" bit I have no idea if that's right or not. For some reason I picture him as Jeff Goldblum."
My goto for odd names is Audible: You can listen to a 5 minute sample of most books. (No guarantee it'll include the name you're looking for, but in this case the sample included an entire 3-part name. Last one sounded like Gur-GAY to me.)
Personally, I rarely consider about pronunciations.
My goto for odd names is Audible: You can listen to a 5 minute sample of most books. (No guarantee it'll include the name you're looking for, but in this case the sample included an entire 3-part name. Last one sounded like Gur-GAY to me.)
Personally, I rarely consider about pronunciations.

Okay, now I am totally picturing him as Goldblum LOL
I pronounce it Gur (ur sound like in Sir) and Geh (eh like in meh). But eh as in gay also possible.
Any of you guys are gamers or love games? Any specific expectation when you first read this? Does the title "games" make it more attractive/enticing?
For me, since I'm not a gamer and find it difficult to understand board game instructions (seriously), I am rather intimidated by the title and hoping this book will go easy on me.

I am beginning to enjoy the Culture universe!


I'm at the same place in the book, starting part 2 today. My thoughts echo yours - long set-up but looks like the story will start moving a little faster now.

Okay, now I am totally picturing him as Goldblum LOL
I pronounce..."
I'm a bit of a gamer (more so in the past) but I don't recall any bits that made me go "oh yeah, I get this because of that". It just felt like a convenient title and plot angle rather than vital to it - it could have almost been someone knowing a particular language, without the plot significantly changing (or indeed it may be viewed as a twist where the game is a language).

I met Banks at a reading in a bookstore in Dublin. Full of students. This was to publicise Whit.

Video games haven't thrilled me since the 90s but I do love board games and this idea of an ultimate board game was pretty cool.

I met Banks at a reading in a bookstore in Dublin. Full of students. This was to publicise Whit."
Scottish? Oh no, now I'm going to start picturing him as Mike Myers.
https://www.dailymotion.com/video/xgzfxs

Suffice to say, I don't find Gurgeh likable at all. Anyone felt the same so far?
I find the Culture's game habit is rather weird since they only had card and board games. Why no computer or augmented reality games? Anyway, I liked the AIs. Mawhrin-Skel is so cheeky and devious! I hope to see more of him.
This is my first culture novel and I think I could actually live there. No poverty, sickness, violence. I could pursue any hobby I want and read all the books I have. Any other better SF utopias out there?
Anyway, going to chapter 2. I have a baaaad feeling about the Azad.

One thing that bugs me is that the book has four chapters only, each is super long, so it is kind of hard to phase my reading.

I agree with you an I was thinking the same thing while the droid was describing the Azad society to Gurgeh. Other than their tri-sexual nature (which I assume will play a part in the storyline later?) the Azad seem to resemble the worst traits of humanity, a yang to the Culture's ying one might say.
And I agree with your prior post that Gurgeh is not very likeable, I assume this was intentional on the part of the author.


Finished this morning and it does pick up in the second half quite a bit!

"One thing that bugs me is that the book has four chapters only, each is super long, so it is kind of hard to phase my reading."
The Dune

Chapters are a complete construct. Some authors use them to switch scenes. Some use them to break up a long dragged out scene into bite sizes. Some authors end every one with a twist, or a shriek, which quickly turns readers off the tale. These are parts of the architecture of the book, not part of the story. In Use of Weapons

My crime books have the usual chapters because that is what readers are used to seeing, but my SF has longer sections which serve to break up the book into related pieces. Can be fun to play with these, where to break. I figure SF readers are more flexible and used to innovation. I get the odd comment that 'it keeps you reading'.

Did you guys knew that (view spoiler)

Thank God! I'm halfway through and still bored.

Thank God! I'm halfway through and still bored."
I think it really picks up in the third part. I think the second part is much better than the first.
Anyone who finished the book, what do you think about the violence level in this book? I found it really disturbing and kind of wished I could skip those parts and the book should come with a trigger warning.


Clare wrote: "I occasionally spot a word which now exists only in negative form, like disgruntled. Disturbing qualifies. Anyone here been turbed?"
The mark of an ept vocabulary.
The mark of an ept vocabulary.



"One thing that bugs me is that the book has four chapters only, each is super long, so it is kind of hard to phase my reading."
The Dune

Terry Pratchett too didn't write his discworld books with chapters. It always bothered me.


I'm finally at the third chapter. It started getting more interesting for me when Goldblum went for a nighttime tour with Flenser-Imajica or whatever it's called. Before that there were interesting parts but they were surrounded by long dull stretches.

Silvana wrote: "Did you guys knew that [spoilers removed]"
I guessed it pretty early.
By the way, I thought the bracelet that the female C3P0 gave him was going to be of some use, so I was disappointed that nothing ever happened with it.

If this was a short story, there would be no room for extraneous detail, so the bracelet would have to have a second purpose.

If this was a short story, there would be no room for extraneous detail, so the bracelet would have to have a second purpose."
Chekhov would not be pleased.
Books mentioned in this topic
Dune (other topics)Use of Weapons (other topics)
Dune (other topics)
Use of Weapons (other topics)
The Player of Games (other topics)
(1997)