Consider Phlebas cover art

Consider Phlebas

Culture Series, Book 1

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Consider Phlebas

Written by: Iain M. Banks
Narrated by: Peter Kenny
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$8.99/mo. after 3 months. Cancel anytime. Offer ends July 15, 2026 at 11:59pm PT.

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The novels of Iain M. Banks have forever changed the face of modern science fiction. His Culture books combine breathtaking imagination with exceptional storytelling, and have secured his reputation as one of the most extraordinary and influential writers in the genre.

'Banks is a phenomenon' William Gibson

War rages across the galaxy. Billions have died, billions more are doomed. Moons, planets, the very stars themselves, face cold-blooded, brutal destruction. The Idirans ­fight for their Faith; the Culture for its moral right to exist. Principles are at stake. There can be no surrender.

Within this cosmic conflict, a crucial battle of wits is waged. Deep within a fabled labyrinth, on a Planet of the Dead forbidden to mortals, lies a fugitive Mind. Both the Culture and the Idirans desperately seek it. It is the fate of Horza, the Changer, and his motley crew of unpredictable mercenaries, human and machine, to actually ­find it - and with it their own destruction.

The Culture series:
Consider Phlebas
The Player of Games
Use of Weapons
Excession
Inversions
Look to Windward
Matter
Surface Detail
The Hydrogen Sonata
The State of the Art

Other books by Iain M. Banks:
Against a Dark Background
Feersum Endjinn
The Algebraist

©1987 Iain M. Banks (P)2010 Hachette Digital Fiction Science Fiction Space Opera
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What the critics say

'Banks is a phenomenon' William Gibson

Continue the series
Matter cover art
Matter Written by: Iain M. Banks
Surface Detail cover art
Surface Detail Written by: Iain M. Banks
The Hydrogen Sonata cover art
The Hydrogen Sonata Written by: Iain M. Banks
All stars
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-1 perf for some skipping at end.
A decent opening to the Culture series. Occurs on the fringe of a galactic war between the AI utopian Culture and a militant theocratic biological species. Nothing particularly mindblowing occurs, but it's a cool world, and fairly action packed.

Decent series opener

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an exploration of what it means to be human, what it means to be truly phlebas.

for your consideration

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A very intricate and complex world being built and explained for most of the book. Understandably, it takes quite a while to explain anything as the world is so unique.

Very detailed.

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The story is entertaining, but most importantly, Bank's world is fascinating. I found the performance good.

An interesting milieu story

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Read this several years ago, but wanted to experience it again as an audio book. I was not disappointed as the reading and characterization were excellent. As for the the story, it’s filled with unique, sometimes off-putting (the Eaters…), but always interesting characters, concepts and set-pieces. A great intro to Banks’ Culture books.

A truly wonderful sci-fi novel and a conceptual thrill ride throughout!

A glorious space opera

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