Against a Dark Background
| Company type | Novel |
|---|---|
| Industry | Literature, Science fiction |
| Founded | 1993 |
| Founder | Iain M. Banks |
| Products | Science fiction novel |
Against a Dark Background is a science fiction novel written by Scottish author Iain M. Banks, initially released in 1993. This work marks his first foray into science fiction without any connection to the Culture universe.
Plot summary
The central character, Lady Sharrow, is an ex-military pilot turned antiquities thief residing on Golter, a planet situated within a remote star system. The Huhsz cult has been granted permission to assassinate her, as they believe their prophesied messiah cannot come into being until the female lineage of Sharrow's family is extinguished. Faced with this threat, Sharrow must decide whether to remain in hiding for a year or to seek out the last remaining Lazy Gun—an ancient and powerful weapon of mass destruction her ancestor had stolen from the cult.
Declining assistance from her affluent industrialist cousin Geis, she embarks on a quest to find the Lazy Gun by first locating the Universal Principles, a lost tome rumored to contain hints about the weapon's whereabouts. Upon visiting her half-sister Breyghun, who is imprisoned at the Seahouse monastery, Sharrow discovers that their grandfather Gorko encoded the book’s location within the DNA of his servants. She reassembles her former combat team and establishes contact with the son of Gorko’s butler. Meanwhile, two bald clones infected with a neural virus embedded in Sharrow’s nervous system demand that the Gun be surrendered to them instead of the Huhsz.
Sharrow’s group eventually uncovers the Universal Principles; although the book itself has disintegrated into dust, its casing bears an inscription also found on Gorko’s tomb. At a storage facility containing this tomb, they discover coordinates pointing toward a restricted zone. Accompanied by the android Feril, they retrieve the Lazy Gun amid assaults that result in the death of her team members and leave Sharrow injured. After securing the weapon within a tower alongside other relic technologies, Sharrow is incapacitated by a neural device; the clones then capture both her and the Gun.
At a desert fortress, they encounter Molgarin, who professes immortality. The stronghold comes under attack by Huhsz forces and unidentified soldiers; during the ensuing turmoil, Sharrow kills the clones and escapes using a monowheeled tank found with the Gun. She infers involvement from the Sad Brothers and returns to Seahouse with Feril and the weapon. There, they reveal Geis as the orchestrator behind these events, driven by unreturned affection and political motives; Molgarin was merely an actor intended to manipulate Sharrow into feeling indebted to Geis.
Once again captured, Sharrow and Feril cause the Lazy Gun to discharge uncontrollably, resulting in the destruction of Seahouse with Feril inside. In the aftermath, Sharrow kills both Breyghun and Geis before departing in the tank, embracing an identity linked to the devastating power wielded by the Lazy Gun.
Lazy Guns
The eight Lazy Guns are enigmatic ancient weapons discovered long before the novel’s timeline. Each measures approximately half a meter in length, 30 centimeters in width, and 20 centimeters in height. The Lazy Gun is described as "light but massy," becoming three times heavier when inverted. These weapons are unique for their apparent sense of humor. Upon firing, each causes chaos or disaster aimed at its target with unpredictable results—ranging from wild animal attacks on individuals to comet strikes on urban areas.
Interfering with these Guns triggers a massive explosion that destroys both the weapon and its surroundings. Only one of the original eight remains intact. The seventh was obliterated when a university attempted to manipulate it, causing an explosion that devastated an entire city. Lady Sharrow, who discovered this particular gun, carries enduring remorse over that catastrophe.
History
Against a Dark Background represents a revised version of Banks's initial 1975 manuscript, standing as the final piece among his early writings to undergo significant modification. Additionally, Banks composed an epilogue that was excluded from the printed version but can be accessed through online sources.
Bibliography
Against a Dark Background, by Iain M. Banks, published in London by Orbit in 1993, (UK) (US)