The Player of Games by Iain M. Banks

 

I enjoy science fiction. The world-building, alien cultures, and futuristic themes appeal to me. I especially like space operas where the story is set aboard a spaceship with a few quirky characters. Although "The Player of Games" satisfied my first set of criteria, it was tagged as a space opera, which it wasn't. I liked the first book in Banks's series, "Consider Phlebas, " and was expecting a lot from this second book; it didn't deliver.

Gurgeh is a master game player. He is famous for his tactics and elegant strategies. When the opportunity arises to travel to the distant Empire of Azad to play their challenging game, which is used to determine who becomes emperor, he jumps at the chance. When he begins winning, his welcome sours, and his life is in danger. He faces the dilemma: continue to best the players, or convincingly lose to save face and return home.

For the most part, I enjoyed this book. It delivered a good story, was excellently written, and moved along. What I didn't like was the book's central theme: game playing. I much prefer a shoot-'em-up story set in space to politically heavy books. That's just personal bias. I'm looking forward to reading the next book in the series, "Use of Weapons. " It sounds much more like what I look for in a science fiction read.

3.5/5 stars.

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Consider Phlebas by Iain M. Banks

I love space operas and discovering new science fiction authors. Consider Phlebas checks both boxes. It has interesting characters, alien cultures, and a seemingly impossible mission—all things I like in a science fiction book.

Hoza is a Changer whose ability to shift his features has allowed him to assume the identity of a pirate captain. He is allied with the Idirans in their war with the Culture and is tasked with finding a missing Mind owned by the Culture. With his rag-tag crew and a captured Culture agent, he sets off to a long-dead world where the Mind is hiding. Hoza goes against the odds to find the Mind and finds himself in a race that puts his and his crew's lives in danger.

This fast-paced, imaginative, and engrossing story was published in 1988. It has stood the test of time and delivers a satisfying look at two cultures at war with plausible situations. I just discovered this author and this series, although I was sad to learn he has since died. However, he has left a catalog of books, and I look forward to reading them all. 

4/5 stars.

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The Three-Body Problem by Cixin Liu

I generally prefer the book version of a story to a movie or series based on it. This is true of this book. I'm grateful, however, to the Netflix series that helped me find this book. I initially wanted to read it because I had some questions about the series. After reading it, I am disappointed with the many licenses the Netflix series took. While the series is true to the overall story, significant changes were made—especially with the nationality of the characters. The series was cinematically beautiful, and I'm glad I watched it, but I prefer the book.

Beginning with the Cultural Revolution in China, the book follows Astrophysicist Ye Wenjie, her family, and her struggles when assigned to a secret communications monitoring base. Flash forward forty-plus years, and scientist Wang Miao, working in nanotechnology, is under investigation for his involvement with a group of elite scientists. Eventually, Wang's and Ye's paths cross when communication with an alien civilization becomes widely known. Some see the aliens as saviors for Earth's cultural and political problems, while others see them as dangerous conquerors. The ideological differences put the factions at odds and moved the story forward.

This is a hard science book with a compelling storyline. I admit I skimmed some more challenging scientific parts, but that didn't detract from the story or my overall comprehension. The characters face relevant moral and political dilemmas that make the story realistic and relatable. I sometimes got lost keeping the Chinese names straight, but focusing on three main characters helped. This is a fantastic book, and I look forward to the next book, The Dark Forest. 

5/5 stars. 

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