Use Of Weapons by Iain M Banks (1990, ISBN 978-0-316-03057-1)

Science fiction novel. Part of the Culture series. 

The man known as Cheradenine Zakalwe was one of Special Circumstances' foremost agents, changing the destiny of planets to suit the Culture through intrigue, dirty tricks and military action.

The woman known as Diziet Sma had plucked him from obscurity and pushed him towards his present eminence, but despite all their dealings she did not know him as well as she thought.

The drone known as Skaffen-Amtiskaw knew both of these people. It had once saved the woman's life by massacring her attackers in a particularly bloody manner. It believed the man to be a lost cause. But not even its machine could see the horrors in his past.

Ferociously intelligent, both witty and horrific, Use of Weapons is a masterpiece of science fiction.

Purchased 2022-08-17 from Powells (Hawthorne) for $16.99
 

 The State of the Art by Iain M Banks (1991, ISBN 978-1-85723-030-7)

 This a collection of short stories.

Purchased 2022-10-14 from Amazon for $13.11

Consider Phlebas by Iain M. Banks (1987, ISBN 978-0-316-00538-8)

 Wikipedia says-- Consider Phlebas, first published in 1987, is a space opera novel by Scottish writer Iain M. Banks. It is the first in a series of novels about an interstellar post-scarcity society called the Culture. 

 About some actions that take place in distant future involving humans, aliens and machines. There was at least one part that I found gross, but in general a good read. Lots of stuff to fire the imagination and ponder.

Purchased from Powell's on 2020-1-12 for 10.95$