Consider Phlebas

Content Warning: This section references depictions of cannibalism, sexual harassment, sexual assault, torture, body horror, suicide, and mental health crises.

Damage is a card game where players use their hands to manipulate emotive fields that influence the emotions and decisions of others. The game demands significant psychological fortitude as players must resist the intense emotional pressures that can compel them to make suboptimal decisions, such as folding a strong hand under duress. This manipulation of emotions illustrates the broader thread of psychological warfare in the novel, where control over one’s mental state becomes crucial to success. Damage is a chilling symbol of the dangers inherent to The Pursuit of Purpose and the complex morality of war and conflict.

Kraiklyn, in particular, leverages Damage to find purpose in his life. For him, the game transcends entertainment, becoming a battleground where he seeks meaning and validation. The extreme stakes of Damage—where players risk lives as counters and can even wager their own lives—mirror the high stakes of conflict and the often morally ambiguous choices individuals face in wartime. As Kraiklyn navigates the lawless spaces left in the wake of the war, his life becomes a barrage of chaos.