#99 High stakes: The Player of Games (1988) by Iain M. Banks

The Player of Games is the second novel to be published in Iain M. Banks’ revered Culture cycle, following Consider Phlebas (1987). It is often thought to be one of the most popular of the books, and is sometimes suggested to be a good starting point. It is an engaging character study of Gurgeh, and a story which deals cleverly with themes of power, manipulation, and the nature of games.

To catch up with this series, be sure to listen to my thoughts on the short story collection The State of the Art (in episode 90) and the first Culture novel Consider Phlebas (in episode 93).

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