The Culture Trivia Quiz

Answer: Idirans

The Culture saw its reason for existence as the interference in and development of less-advanced societies for peaceful means. The Idirans saw their purpose as the conquering of less-advanced races for the glory of God. Each saw the other as a threat and despite its professed pacifism the Culture saw no choice but to go to war. The war cost the lives of over 800 billion people and machines.

The Chelgrians appear in 'Look to Windward', the Azad in 'The Player of Games' and the Affront in 'Excession'.

Answer: Special Circumstances

Many of the protagonists of the Culture novels are Special Circumstances agents. Despite being a pacifist society, membership of Special Circumstances is highly sought after.

Answer: TGV

A GSV is a General Systems Vehicle, a GCU is a General Contact Unit and a GOU is a General Offensive Unit. After the end of the war with the Idirans the GOUs were demilitarised, becoming (D)GOUs. Similarly, Rapid Offensive Units became Very Fast Pickets. A TGV is a French high-speed train.

Answer: Systems Failure

The GCU Nervous Energy appeared in 'Consider Phlebas', the GSV Unfortunate Conflict of Evidence appeared in 'The Player of Games' while the (D)ROU Xenophobe appeared in 'Use of Weapons'. Systems Failure I made up.

Answer: Against A Dark Background

'The State of the Art' was a collection of short stories, some of which were Culture-based. 'Inversions' was set on a medieval world and was not immediately apparent as a Culture novel - unknown to many of the protagonists though, there were Special Circumstances agents among them. Like 'Feersum Endjinn', 'Against a Dark Background' does not contain any reference to the Culture.

The other Culture novels so far published are: 'Consider Phlebas', 'The Player of Games', 'Excession' and 'Look to Windward'.

Answer: Marain

Marain is a synthetic language designed to be easily spoken but aesthetically pleasing at the same time.

Galach is the language spoken in Frank Herbert's 'Dune'.

Answer: Jernau Morat Gurgeh

Gurgeh was the best gamer in the Culture and accepted an assignment from Contact to travel to the Empire of Azad to take part in a game which was used to determine the hierarchy of Azad. Cheradenine Zakalwe appeared in 'Use of Weapons', Uagen Zlepe in 'Look to Windward' and Byr Genar-Hofoen in 'Excession'.

Answer: Perosteck Balveda

Balveda was eventually forced to work with Horza. Fal 'Ngeestra also appeared in 'Consider Phlebas'. Diziet Sma appeared in both 'Use of Weapons' and the short story, 'The State of the Art'. Wrobich Schennil (aka Wrobik Sennkil) appeared in the short story 'A Gift from the Culture'.

Answer: Minds

Minds are extremely intelligent and are considered full citizens of the Culture.

Answer: Authoritarian

The Culture does not have a free-market, has no real government and is a society which prizes the happiness of all its citizens - they are free to leave and rejoin the Culture at any time.