The Darkening Age. The Christian destruction of the classical world by Catherine Nixey

⭐️⭐️⭐️ 

This book's got some interesting insights. There are things a kind of knew, but not really. A bit slow and repetitive at points, but overall, I am happy I read it. This is the story of how Christianity conquered Rome and destroyed most traces of their culture, philosophy, and religion. Main themes are: 

• The story of Roman persecution of the Christians has been exaggerated. 
• Early Christians were obsessed with demons and evil. 
• Early Christians, obsessed with martyrdom provoked Roman authorities into torturing and executing them. 
• There's evidence that many roman authorities tried to persuade wannabe martyrs as they did not want them to die. 
• Once Christians got into power, they became even more oppressive than the Romans. Their aim was total control over the population, Christian and non-christian: 
• *Roman/Pagan writings, sculptures, paintings, and temples were systematically destroyed. 
• *Christians were monitored and fed ideas about God observing them even in the privacy of their homes. 

The book relates some fascinating stories like the one about famous Greek mathematician Hypatia, who suffered a violent death, and Damascius, one of the last Greek philosophers who was exiled twice because of his beliefs. 

 Quote: "Centuries later, an Arab traveller would visit a town on the edge of Europe and reflect on what had happened in the Roman Empire. 'During the early days of the empire of thr Rum,' he wrote- meaning the Roman and Byzantine Empire- 'the Sciences were honoured and enjoyed universal respect. From an already solid and grandiose foundation, they were raised to greater heights every day, until the Christian religion made its appearance among the Rum; this was a fatal blow to the edifice of learning, it's traces disappeared and it's pathways were effaced.' There was one final loss too. This loss is even more rarely remembered than all the others, but in its way it is almost as important. The very memory that there was any opposition at all to Christianity faded. The idea that philosophers might have fought fiercely, with all they had against Christianity was - is - passed over. The idea that many were alarmed at the spread of this violently intolerant religion fades from view. The idea that many were not delighted but instead disgusted by the sight of burning and demolished temples was - is - brushed aside. The idea that intellectuals were appalled- and scared - by the sight of books burning in tyres, is forgotten. Christianity told the generations that followed that their victory over the old world was celebrated by all, and the generations that followed believed it."

Use of Weapons by Iain M Banks

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨️ 

Third book in the Culture series and so far my favourite of the three I have read (I've also read Consider Phlebas and Player of Games). 

The novel follows Cheradenine Zakalwe, a murky character, with a more than obscure past. He's the perfect soldier who can turn almost anything into a weapon. He does not belong in the Culture but works for them in the Special Circumstances (division?). The Culture have a policy of not interfering with other civilisations, but obviously, they do, in "Special Circumstances". 

The structure of the novel is nonlinear, with chapters recounting Zakalwe's latest mission in the present, intercalated with flashback chapters (chronologically in reverse) narrating the story of Zakalwe since childhood and previous missions. Initially, this structure felt confusing and made my reading harder. The story seemed to be all over the place, just like the protagonist’s mind... and then it clicked. 

This is a powerful story with layers and layers of meaning. From the protagonist’s complexity, his questionable morality, violence and vulnerability to the backdrop of the Culture, of which we get only fragments of its ideologies, society and technology. But those bits and pieces are enough to imagine the enormous scale of their power and knowledge. The ending is great, shocking and unexpected. 

Recommend.