Rating: 
Summary: Magnificent book.
Review: I rarely award a book 5 stars, and almost never feel compelled to review one when my sentiments have already been expressed well by others. But this book was inspiring. It is an engaging and entertaining story, first of all. Beautifully written, with evocative descriptions and poetic imagery. The background settings of the Culture and the Azad Empire are quite detailed and creatively wrought. And there is plenty of depth, complexity, and social metaphor to keep the reader involved on many levels. Just as in the game of Azad that is the book's focus, the book becomes more rewarding and expressive as you become more involved with it. Definitely a classic.
Rating: 
Summary: A Good Game
Review: A different direction from Banks' Consider Phlebas, surprisingly readers immediately with his departure from "space opera". The Player of Games is a much more thoughtful book. It's tone mirroring the contemplation of the lead character's "chess" like mentality and game driven life. There are lots of hidden messages here I feel; from concepts such as life-is-a-game, to Puppet-Master imagery, to the hidden depths of savagery, which are revealed in the book as being concealed under the surface of society. From Banks' world-building point of view, he has built two engaging civilisations: one slightly distasteful, but disturbingly familiar, the other (The Culture) exotic and powerful, though peaceful at its heart, has the potential to be threatening. The game sequences are interesting without introducing "rules" to confuse the reader. But I thought they were just a little too vague, as if the concepts of the complex game were just out of our reach. A feeling no doubt deliberate as the lead character struggles to comprehend the alien society he has been thrust into. Intriguing and compelling. Articulate and powerful, but not quite as good as Consider Phlebas.
Rating: 
Summary: Good, not great
Review: After reading "The Wasp Factory" I was eager to get my hands on another Banks book. I had tremendously high expectations, because I think TWF was brilliant; unfortunately, Player of Games did not fulfill them. It's a good book, but not a great one. It definitely has that "golden age of fantastic SF" flavor to it, which is not a bad thing at all, but I found it predictable, and was disappointed that Banks hadn't aimed a little bit higher. For me, Gene Wolfe is still the literary pinnacle of SF, but I haven't given up on Banks yet---there is too much praise for and promise in this man's work to do that, so I'll definitely be looking at the other Culture books. My recommendation is, if you want to read a good SF yarn, pick Player up; if you want something more cerebral, look elsewhere.
Rating:
Summary: Not for Trekkies!
Review: Great. This harks back to the dark sci-fi and fantasy stuff that was produced back in the 50's, when you didn't have to have Harrison Ford or some simpering bird as love interest. Sci-fi should be dark, gripping, hugely imaginative, wickedly comic and satirical. This book has it all, in spades. Read it.
Rating:
Summary: Great hard-SF ideas after a long time!
Review: This was the first Banks book I've read and it is really mindblowing technological SF. Not much in the way of "new" physics, but the best mix of space tech, AI, advanced civilizations and conflict that I've read in quite a while. The canvas is huge, the machines are cool and the society is totally where we wish we were. If you're into SF you may have seen some of these ideas in other books, but this is one which integrates all those things into a single volume. Definitely a "buy" recommendation - unless you have a short attention span and prefer TV. I guess I want to see more of Banks' books and it helps if my reco makes it profitable enough for him to revisit his marvellous universe.
Rating:
Summary: Innocence revealed, and a mirror for ourselves
Review: Is the ending obvious? Don't count on it. Take an exciting idea, add the coloration of a culture not unlike our own (or perhaps so much like ours that it is hidden) and then tie it together with a continuously moving plot line (admittedly better after the first few chapters) that doesn't let go. A great piece, and an excellent addition to the 'culture' series. I had trouble putting it down, and I'm in the process of reading it again for the 'essence of nuance'. If you like Banks, you'll love this book.
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful, exciting SF!
Review: 'The Player Of Games' is the second Culture novel by British author Iain M. Banks. The first one, 'Consider Phlebas', is generally not considered the best of the series. Even though I was very impressed by 'Consider Phlebas', I can now see, after having read 'The Player of Games', what Banks is capable of. Gurgeh, the protagonist of the novel, is a 'morat' or 'player of games'. He is one of the most talented players in the Culture. He is versed in the rules of all the known games and wins many competitions. He even publishes papers on game theory - in the luxurious Culture, gaming has become an academic field, and Gurgeh is at the top of it. He is , basically, the ultimate 'grognard'. Gurgeh's fair-play becomes intentionally compromised by a 'drone', one of the Culture's artificial intelligences. He is forced to leave the Culture on a mission to the Empire of Azad. The Azadian Empire is a newly discovered area of the Galaxy, which hasn't been incorporated into the Culture yet. What's so special about this empire is that the game Azad, an incredibly complex board game, determines people's careers and lives. From the moment Gurgeh enters the Azadian Empire, the contrast with the Culture gets more and more emphasized. The Culture is the ideal society. Technology has reached such a high level that everybody has access to everything, money is no longer necessary and crime is non-existent. Azad, by contrast, seems remarkably close to our Western civilization. And into this Empire, the Player of Games arrives with a mission he himself is not fully aware of. This novel shows an amount of flair worthy of, let's say, Jack Vance. Banks creates a believable character that will be loved by everyone who has ever played a strategy game, and then sends that character through an amazing amount of thrills and excitement. I used the word 'sensawunda' in my review of 'Consider Phlebas' - but 'The Player of Games' trumps the earlier novel in that respect easily. This is some of the most exciting SF I've read in the last years. Very highly recommended.
Rating:
Summary: Masterful - One of Banks' Best
Review: First off, for those of you not familiar with The Culture, don't be intimidated. Its a universe created by Banks but you don't necessarily have to read all the books in the series - these books stand quite well on their own. You won't be lost if you decide to plunge into The Player of Games. Simply put, this is a masterful piece of literature. Banks is often quoted as saying that this is the novel he had the most fun writing and you can see why. Part space opera, mystery and morality play, the Player of Games is a satisfying read and one of my favorite works of science fiction. Do yourselves a favor and pick this one up. Banks is a true talent, unfortunately not one well recognized on this side of the Atlantic.
Rating:
Summary: Imaginative and Intellectually Stimulating
Review: "The Player of Games," while mainly taking place outside of the Culture itself is, in some ways, at the heart of the Culture novels. It's about how the Culture thinks from the inside out, and about how the Culture differs from other, more Imperial, systems. Gurgeh is a master of all games, and when he is coerced into playing the most complex game ever devised, versus the Empire's players who've literally grown up with the game, he is unable to resist the challenge. It's an interesting premise, and the more you learn, the more you learn that it is more of life simulation than a game. All of this, unfortunately, makes the final act of the story a bit less than unpredictable, yet as in any Banks story, his intellect shines through his writing. Iain Banks dazzles the reader with ideas throughout the story and that's more than enough to make me recommend this novel.
Rating:
Summary: Even if you don't like Sci-Fi
Review: This book is amazing. What's more, it gets better: while you're reading this fantastic introduction to "The Culture", go to amazon.co.uk where you can order "Use of Weapons" which is an even better book.
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