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Dave · 10th June 2002, 12:13 PM

One day a like-minded soul may pass through here and read my reviews, so I'll continue with them. They are really excellent books.

The Player of Games

Jernau Morat Gurgeh is a compulsive game player, and one of the best players of games in the Culture. He is a master of every board, computer and strategy game. The human-machine symbiotic society of the culture has thrown up many great game players, and this book throws some background on the games of Stricken and Damage referred to in Consider Phlebas . There is also more background information on Drones; Marain, the language of the Culture; Genofixing; and Ships and Minds. There are more great ship names in this: Little Rascal, Limiting Factor, Cargo Cult, Unfortunate Conflict of Evidence, Flexible Demeanour, So Much For Subtlety.

Bored with his success, Jernau is approached by the Special Circumstances division of Contact. Jernau seems far too naive to me, but maybe he has spent too much time playing games. He accepts the challenge of the ultimate game, travelling to the Empire of Azad, a cruel and incredibly wealthy space faring society, yet still imperialistic, and with huge social inequalities and barbaric practises. Azad is an interstellar community completely at odds with the values of the Culture. Along the way, he is blackmailed, mocked, has attempts on his life, and seems generally to be totally out of his depth during most of the story. (He really is, the way the Culture is playing him like a game piece.)

He discovers that the complex Game of Azad mirrors life itself, the winner becomes emperor, and the best players take the other powerful positions in society. As Jernau begins to immerse himself in the Azad society and the game, he begins to think in the local language, he learns about this alien society, and he improves his game.

The final series of games take place on a planet that is ravaged by bush-fire every twelve revolutions. The Incandescence is timed to take place with the ascension of the new Emperor. He can never be really allowed to win, of course, but he must be allowed to play and be beaten; this alien, this man from the Culture, this player of games. So, the story builds up to the ultimate game of the tournament between Jernau and the Emperor; a game in which few can understand the moves, but which actually mirrors the Culture versus the Empire of Azad.

Jernau still doesn’t see his success as a victory for the Culture. To him it is still only a game. The Emperor thinks Jernau mocks their battle-game like some filthy dance, replacing the holy witnessing of Azad, and soiling it with the values of the Culture. So, as Jernau is about to defeat the Emperor with his perverted form of the game, the Emperor makes the game real… or, is it the Culture really pulling the strings as usual.

As always, he leaves a surprise until the final page, this time it is the storyteller’s identity.

I'm reading Look to Windward next.

10th June 2002, 12:13 PM	#5 (permalink)
Dave Wherever I Am, I'm There Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Greater London Posts: 11,429	The Player of Games. One day a like-minded soul may pass through here and read my reviews, so I'll continue with them. They are really excellent books. The Player of Games Jernau Morat Gurgeh is a compulsive game player, and one of the best players of games in the Culture. He is a master of every board, computer and strategy game. The human-machine symbiotic society of the culture has thrown up many great game players, and this book throws some background on the games of Stricken and Damage referred to in Consider Phlebas . There is also more background information on Drones; Marain, the language of the Culture; Genofixing; and Ships and Minds. There are more great ship names in this: Little Rascal, Limiting Factor, Cargo Cult, Unfortunate Conflict of Evidence, Flexible Demeanour, So Much For Subtlety. Bored with his success, Jernau is approached by the Special Circumstances division of Contact. Jernau seems far too naive to me, but maybe he has spent too much time playing games. He accepts the challenge of the ultimate game, travelling to the Empire of Azad, a cruel and incredibly wealthy space faring society, yet still imperialistic, and with huge social inequalities and barbaric practises. Azad is an interstellar community completely at odds with the values of the Culture. Along the way, he is blackmailed, mocked, has attempts on his life, and seems generally to be totally out of his depth during most of the story. (He really is, the way the Culture is playing him like a game piece.) He discovers that the complex Game of Azad mirrors life itself, the winner becomes emperor, and the best players take the other powerful positions in society. As Jernau begins to immerse himself in the Azad society and the game, he begins to think in the local language, he learns about this alien society, and he improves his game. The final series of games take place on a planet that is ravaged by bush-fire every twelve revolutions. The Incandescence is timed to take place with the ascension of the new Emperor. He can never be really allowed to win, of course, but he must be allowed to play and be beaten; this alien, this man from the Culture, this player of games. So, the story builds up to the ultimate game of the tournament between Jernau and the Emperor; a game in which few can understand the moves, but which actually mirrors the Culture versus the Empire of Azad. Jernau still doesn’t see his success as a victory for the Culture. To him it is still only a game. The Emperor thinks Jernau mocks their battle-game like some filthy dance, replacing the holy witnessing of Azad, and soiling it with the values of the Culture. So, as Jernau is about to defeat the Emperor with his perverted form of the game, the Emperor makes the game real… or, is it the Culture really pulling the strings as usual. As always, he leaves a surprise until the final page, this time it is the storyteller’s identity. I'm reading Look to Windward next.