Storyline: 3/5 
 Characters: 4/5 
 Writing Style: 3/5 
 World: 3/5 
 My experience with the first two Culture novels left me with a mixed impression. I did not enjoy and still do not think well of Consider Phlebas. It took too many of the negative components from space operas - over-reliance on action scenes, rapid pacing, and limited character development - without building up its best attribute - the ideological conflict between the Idirians and Culture. Player of Games, however, was fantastic: creative story, great world-building, and some attempt at character development. Still, it too left me wanting to know more about the imperial benevolence of the Culture. So when I started Use of Weapons, that is what I was looking forward to. I suppose I shouldn't be surprised that Banks didn't deliver on that issue. Stylistically this was very much a combination of the first two of the series. Like the first, Use of Weapons is more action-oriented, albeit from a flashback perspective that slows the pace to something more like Player of Games. Another way in which it resembles Player of Games is in the use of internal monologues and character development of the protagonist. We do, however, get to see a lot more of the galaxy this time - just as in Consider Phlebas. In other areas I'm starting to recognize patterns: the dichotomy between social extremes (the rich versus the poor; hedonism versus privation), a fascination with sex (and especially deviant sexuality), grotesqueries, different political systems, and the meaning of consciousness/life. Some of these I enjoyed much more than others. 
 What most surprised me about this iteration was the main character and plot. There was no need to situate this in the Culture universe. Banks did, obviously, do so, but this could just as easily have been a stand-alone novel about the main character. In fact, I think this would have been better with a little less of the Culture science fiction elements. My impression from the very first chapter was that this would easily transition into a movie (one directed by Luc Besson specifically). Subsequent chapters kept reinforcing that impression. The element I found most awkward in the book were the flashbacks. (view spoiler)[It wasn't so much a problem of over use (although half the novel is flashback), but that it wasn't until a third of the way into the work that I realized they were flashbacks. I had thought, until that point, that there was some sort of clone/multiple personality intrigue going on. (hide spoiler)] In part, that's my fault for not paying attention to the chapter numbering. Even if I had noticed, however, the numbering sequences, I don't think I would have concluded what most other reviewers had (or what Banks intended). I'm not sure if it was an innovative but ultimately confusing ploy that Banks was attempting or if it was simply unclear writing, but either way, it was more gimmick than substance. 
 So I still want to know more about the Culture and its political philosophy. I felt like this book mainly reinforced what I already knew without revealing anything new. I'll read the next in the series and hope that Banks is more forthcoming.