The book starts off inauspiciously enough. For a while I was even bored by it. In fact, the first tenth of the book is just your typical space opera: dauntless heroes, weird aliens, space cruisers slagging each other from light years away, and a total disregard for science. But the work gradually deepened, and Horza, the protagonist, transformed from a stock character to a complex yet compelling person.

More importantly, however, the action sequences in this book are amazing--I could not put down the book during any of Banks's elaborate set pieces. It doesn't hurt that Banks situates his action in some of the most imaginative settings ever. One of the earlier, most memorable set pieces occurs on a kilometers-long Megaship that endlessly circles the artificial sea of an Orbital (which is itself a ring in space that orbits a sun). The action at the book's end is also a doozy; Banks certainly seems to be setting up all the elements for the final scene with giddy delight, and he pays off big time.

Ultimately, however, the individual scenes of Consider Phlebas turn out to be far more compelling than the overall narrative, which at times feels merely like a framework for stringing together Banks's special effects. Also, the action in the book is far more gripping than the characters. Nevertheless, I liked this book a lot, and I would heartily recommend it for anyone looking for a rollicking read.

Copyright © 2001 Steven Wu