Consider Phlebas

Content Warning: This section references depictions of cannibalism, sexual harassment, sexual assault, torture, body horror, suicide, and mental health crises. In addition, the source text uses outdated and offensive terms for mental health conditions, which are replicated in this guide only in direct quotes.

Bora Horza Gobuchul is the protagonist of Consider Phlebas. A member of the Changer species, Horza possesses the unique ability to shapeshift, allowing him to adopt different identities and physical forms. Throughout the story, his form shifts include an elderly Sorpen gerontrocrat, Kraiklyn, and a combination of Kraiklyn, an unidentified party, and Horza’s true form. However, Horza never once assumes his true form in the novel.

Horza works for the Idirans, values independence, and has a strong sense of loyalty to his cause (though he does not share the Idirans’ religious beliefs). He believes that the Culture’s reliance on AI erodes humanity’s essence. Horza tells Balveda, “I don’t care how self-righteous the Culture feels, or how many people the Idirans kill. They’re on the side of life--boring old-fashioned, biological life […] You’re ruled by your machines. You’re an evolutionary dead end” (26). Despite his dislike for their religious zealotry, Horza’s belief in biology over technology makes him a dedicated and resourceful agent for the Idirans.