science fiction

Against A Dark Background - Iain M. Banks Book Review

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Review Summaries
"This far future sf thriller is about a lady Mercenary who must recover a weapon of mass destruction for a cult or be targeted for death. This novel has lyrical prose, james bondian action sequences and plot twists worthy of Hitchcock that all leads to a unforgettable climax!"
RODNEY POWELL, Resident Iain M. Banks Scholar


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Overall Review
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Plot
FANTASY or SCIENCE FICTION? - science fiction story
Spying & Investigations Yes
What is main char. doing? - spying/espionage in enemy territorry
Tech./$$$/Info hunt Yes
Stealing/recovering/destroying - weapon
Is this an adult or child's book? - Adult or Young Adult Book

Main Character
Identity: - Female
Profession/status: - infantry soldier
How sensitive is this character? - hard edged
Sense of humor - Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence - Average intelligence
Physique - average physique

Main Adversary
Age: - 20's-30's
Profession/status: - infantry soldier
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in: - a moderate amount
How sensitive is this character? - hard edged
Sense of humor - Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence - Average intelligence
Physique - average physique

Setting
Terrain - Planet surface, need spacesuit - Space, need spacesuit
A substantial portion of this book takes place on a non-Earth planetary body: - humans in a futuristic society - big overbuilt futuristic city
Planet outside solar system? Yes

Style
Person? - rotating 1st
Accounts of torture and death? - moderately detailed references to deaths
scientific jargon? (SF only) - an average amount of scientific explanation
Sex in book? Yes
How much dialogue? - roughly even amounts of descript and dialog
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Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s).
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