Phil's Reviews > Inversions

Just when you think you are getting a handle on the Culture series, Banks tosses a curve ball, but it is a really sweet pitch! Inversions is strikingly different from its predecessors and outside of a few references, you may not even know it is a Culture novel. The story is narrated by a doctor's apprentice/spy named Oelph who lives on an exotic world with two suns and six moons but seems mired in a quasi feudal social/economic order. Oelph writes this tale as something of a confession at the end of a long and productive life and it takes two parts, one concerning the doctor he worked for in one kingdom and another of a bodyguard to a king from another and the mysterious set of events that transpired in the space of a few years.

The doctor, hailing supposedly from some far off island halfway around the world, proved in her travels to the kingdom that she knew her stuff and upon arrival, became the King's personal doctor. It is pretty clear that she comes from the Culture and her knowledge of the body is far beyond local levels, but what is she doing on this backwater and what does she hope to achieve? The world depicted is patriarchal for sure, with both kings keeping a hoard of concubines and such, and the doctor, a stunning redheaded (but of course!) female takes a lot of stupid flack from other doctors.

One of the motifs Banks employs in the Culture is the debate over what to do when they encounter another civilization. Should they simply announce themselves and absorb it or should they subtly try to change its ways, making it more civilized? This debate was alluded to a few times here, primarily in 'stories' the bodyguard told the King's son on occasion, but if you are unfamiliar with Culture you may miss its significance. So, it seems that the doctor and bodyguard are Culture agents, one trying to keep a rather progressive new king (or as he styles himself, the protector) alive while the Doctor also attempts to keep the other, also rather progressive, king hale.

Inversions is riddled with dark humor and the dialogue between the king and the doctor is priceless at times. Lots of neat twists along the way and conniving nobles also plot their way along. In fact, our narrator is a spy working for one of them, sent to keep track of the mysterious female doctor when he was still a young man. This is also a rather playful novel for Banks, but one also minus anything really to do with high tech as typifies most of his other Culture novels (view spoiler)[ except perhaps for the doctor's knife missile, but even that is low key (hide spoiler)]. While perhaps not the best place to start if you are unfamiliar with the Culture, this is probably a must for Culture fans. 4.5 stars, happily rounding up!!