12-01-2014, 06:56 AM
Interesting article, although the author is incorrect on one point, which may somewhat undermine the rest of his premise:
In Look to Windward, the 'terror machine' that attacked the Chelgrian base and killed the assassin character (and his boss as well), disabled all the electronics and computers on the base - except for the cameras - it made a point of keeping those running and of making sure that the Chelgrian government (or those elements of it that were plotting to attack the Culture and kill around 5 billion people) would see what was done to those leading the effort to attack the Culture. Basically (and it may even be explicitly stated in the book, I'd have to check), a message was being sent: Don't mess with us or this or worse will happen to you.
Todd
In Look to Windward, the 'terror machine' that attacked the Chelgrian base and killed the assassin character (and his boss as well), disabled all the electronics and computers on the base - except for the cameras - it made a point of keeping those running and of making sure that the Chelgrian government (or those elements of it that were plotting to attack the Culture and kill around 5 billion people) would see what was done to those leading the effort to attack the Culture. Basically (and it may even be explicitly stated in the book, I'd have to check), a message was being sent: Don't mess with us or this or worse will happen to you.
Todd