796. The Player of the Games

The Player of the Games
Iain Banks
1988
Around 290 pages

Elon Musk seems to enjoy this novel, which is definitely damning praise. But I love the concept explored in this story, with a society structured around a complex game that determines political and social status. This definitely satisfies my inner (and outer) nerd.

Jernau Morat Gurgeh, a famously skillful player of board games and other similar contests, lives on Chiark Orbital. The Culture's Special Circumstances inquires about his willingness to participate in a long journey but won't explain further unless he agrees to participate. Gurgeh spends the next two years traveling to the Empire of Azad, where a complex game is used to structure society. The game itself reflects the player's own political and philosophical outlook. By the time he arrives, he has grasped the game but is unsure how he will measure up against opponents who have been studying it for their entire lives.

This is a radical shift from The Wasp Factory, and I tend to think that Banks thrives more outside of science fiction. Still, this was a fresh concept and even though we were coming in on the second novel of a series, I felt comfortable in the world that Banks crafted. This is a universe that of course is nowhere near as fun as the Adams-verse, but Asimov would definitely be proud.

This might be our last significant science fiction novel, but of course, I'm wrong all the time and tend to force milestones. Speaking of which, happy 796!

RATING: ****-

Interesting Facts:

A film adaptation was planned in the 90s, but ultimately abandoned.

UP NEXT: Libra by Don DeLillo