“The Algebraist” by Iain M. Banks
review by P. Douglas Reeder
This new setting for Banks puts space opera in the foreground, rather than the background it usually is in his "Culture" novels. Fortunately, the characters are interesting and aren't too far removed from the real world. The scenes are usually good. The alien society is moderately interesting but can't carry a story this long. If Banks's protection from editors was revoked, this book might be split up and boiled down to something better.
The story is mostly a travelogue — that's an elementary mistake that no experienced SF authors should make. A cartoonishly-vile villain is built up as the chief danger, but a bridge is dropped on him offstage when it's time for the plot to end. The side plot involving some characters that the protagonist knows but doesn't meaningfully interact with in the present time doesn't illuminate the main plot in any way. An interstellar invasion decades in the preparation takes up a good chunk of the pages without much affecting the protagonist or having anything happen that wasn't expected to happen. It just peters out at the end. Entities of great power exist, but are not hinted at before appearing near the end. Their maneuvering is the key help the protagonist needs. A few reveals deepen the setting, but should have had more setup.
Banks leave some large plot holes:
- A.I.s are banned, but nearly-intelligent chatbots are used (with huge precautions) to convey messages that could have been written in five paragraphs (and don't need their own scenes). The greatest source of angst for the protagonist is the fallout from one of these pointless complications.
- The subplot is launched by police not checking the victim of a suspicious accident for evidence that it wasn't an accident. (There is no suggestion the police are incompetent or were pressured to not investigate.)
- There's a mystery of galactic concern that has been discussed for billions of years, and no one thinks of the simple answer until the protagonist is forced to investigate it for a number of weeks.
These weaknesses have long been present in Banks's work, but are harder to ignore here. I can't recommend this book for anyone but diehard fans of Banks.
- Previous: While You Were Sleeping (1995)
