Iain M. Banks

Observer · 14-06-2009, 04:16 PM

Iain M. Banks writes awesome science fiction novels. He drives technology to a point that is meaningful, like huge sentient spacecraft, and sentient robots. In his Culture series, people live in something like an anarchy that is kept in order by sentient machines. Most people live happy, joyful lives. The civilization he describes in this series can produce anything in any quantity and hence money became useless. That looks like a positive future for humans. One of the most important aspects there is that there's so much room in the universe that just about anything is possible.

I think our own future could be very similar.

klaatu · 14-06-2009, 04:51 PM

I don't remember last time I have read a SciFi book

Problem is with them I can't put them down untill I end them. More easy with SciFi movies. But you reopen my interes for books. will do some research to see what I can find from him.

I was thinking now what was my last SciFi book and I am ashame not to remember.

Observer · 14-06-2009, 05:32 PM

I started with "Player of Games", which is fairly short, and gives a good portray of the Culture. My favorite was "Look to Windward", however (but it's pretty long).

Be advised that Banks also writes horror novels, so his description of violence (if it occurs at all) can be very graphic (luckily, that's nothing compared to what I've seen in some of my visions, so that didn't scare me, and violence, no matter how elaborate, reaches a point when it becomes banal anyway). But be forewarned!

In "Player of Games" for instance, there's a scene in which Mawhrin-Skel, a drone, and outsider to the Culture's society, dissects a live bird with most interest. Of course this scene serves to portray Mawhrin-Skel as the cruel bastard that he was, but it left me quite disturbed when I read it for the first time.

In "Look to Windward", there are some war scenes (civil war of the Chelgrians), but I can't remember any noteworthy cruelties.

Observer · 14-06-2009, 10:25 PM

If you like reading happy stuff, avoid reading "The Use of Weapons", because that is about the psyche of a murderer. (The Culture only has a cameo appearance there. Just like in "Matter", Banks' latest "Culture" novel; I don't consider these Culture novels, because the plot is happening too far away from it.)

A complicated one is "Excession", because it's about what goes on within Culture's Minds, the sentient spacecraft and space stations. It also covers splinter groups like the Culture's Zetetic Elench (purely defensive group) and Ulterior (detached group).

"Consider Phlebas" is bearable for people not into deep science fiction, you get a look inside the Culture from the outside mostly.

Banks often creates characters that live at the fringes of the Culture, to illustrate how the Culture deals with other civilizations. But I would be perfectly happy to read a boring description of daily life in the Culture cover to cover. IMO, only "Player of Games" and "Look To Windward" have plenty of that.

klaatu · 15-06-2009, 01:04 AM

Thanks for pointers. And also for violence warning. I do not like violence (lately) to the point that it needs to have a good reason and not to be the main focus of the book or movie.
Violence is so useless and it gives you back the same thing. Sooner or later.

klaatu · 16-06-2009, 11:21 PM

No luck at the book store. It seems is not translated (English is not my native language as you probably figure it out

)
Will look for originals in English... I could not leave without a book so I bought The spiritual teachings of Tao.

Thuringwethil · 07-09-2010, 10:33 PM

Well maybe is worth to notice that there is easy way to identify what kind of novel Banks book will be.
If he writing in "main stream" (usually some kind of crime novel like "The Use of Weapons"),then he signed them as Iain Banks, if sci-fi Iain M. Banks. Small but in my opinion quite useful hint taken from one of fantasy/sci-fi lovers polish forum.

14-06-2009, 04:16 PM	#1
Observer Member Human Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 43 Time Online: N/A Thanks: 9 Thx 2 Times in 2 Posts	Iain M. Banks Iain M. Banks writes awesome science fiction novels. He drives technology to a point that is meaningful, like huge sentient spacecraft, and sentient robots. In his Culture series, people live in something like an anarchy that is kept in order by sentient machines. Most people live happy, joyful lives. The civilization he describes in this series can produce anything in any quantity and hence money became useless. That looks like a positive future for humans. One of the most important aspects there is that there's so much room in the universe that just about anything is possible. I think our own future could be very similar.

14-06-2009, 04:51 PM	#2
klaatu Vox Moderator Human Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 199 Time Online: 3 h 22 m Thanks: 8 Thx 18 Times in 18 Posts	I don't remember last time I have read a SciFi book Problem is with them I can't put them down untill I end them. More easy with SciFi movies. But you reopen my interes for books. will do some research to see what I can find from him. I was thinking now what was my last SciFi book and I am ashame not to remember. __________________ "Unless we have come to know what is correct, we cannot perceive what is incorrect." Words processed in a facility that contains nuts.

15-06-2009, 01:04 AM	#5
klaatu Vox Moderator Human Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 199 Time Online: 3 h 22 m Thanks: 8 Thx 18 Times in 18 Posts	Thanks for pointers. And also for violence warning. I do not like violence (lately) to the point that it needs to have a good reason and not to be the main focus of the book or movie. Violence is so useless and it gives you back the same thing. Sooner or later. __________________ "Unless we have come to know what is correct, we cannot perceive what is incorrect." Words processed in a facility that contains nuts.

16-06-2009, 11:21 PM	#6
klaatu Vox Moderator Human Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 199 Time Online: 3 h 22 m Thanks: 8 Thx 18 Times in 18 Posts	No luck at the book store. It seems is not translated (English is not my native language as you probably figure it out ) Will look for originals in English... I could not leave without a book so I bought The spiritual teachings of Tao. __________________ "Unless we have come to know what is correct, we cannot perceive what is incorrect." Words processed in a facility that contains nuts.

14-06-2009, 05:32 PM	#3
Observer Member Human Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 43 Time Online: N/A Thanks: 9 Thx 2 Times in 2 Posts	I started with "Player of Games", which is fairly short, and gives a good portray of the Culture. My favorite was "Look to Windward", however (but it's pretty long). Be advised that Banks also writes horror novels, so his description of violence (if it occurs at all) can be very graphic (luckily, that's nothing compared to what I've seen in some of my visions, so that didn't scare me, and violence, no matter how elaborate, reaches a point when it becomes banal anyway). But be forewarned! In "Player of Games" for instance, there's a scene in which Mawhrin-Skel, a drone, and outsider to the Culture's society, dissects a live bird with most interest. Of course this scene serves to portray Mawhrin-Skel as the cruel bastard that he was, but it left me quite disturbed when I read it for the first time. In "Look to Windward", there are some war scenes (civil war of the Chelgrians), but I can't remember any noteworthy cruelties.

14-06-2009, 10:25 PM	#4
Observer Member Human Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 43 Time Online: N/A Thanks: 9 Thx 2 Times in 2 Posts	If you like reading happy stuff, avoid reading "The Use of Weapons", because that is about the psyche of a murderer. (The Culture only has a cameo appearance there. Just like in "Matter", Banks' latest "Culture" novel; I don't consider these Culture novels, because the plot is happening too far away from it.) A complicated one is "Excession", because it's about what goes on within Culture's Minds, the sentient spacecraft and space stations. It also covers splinter groups like the Culture's Zetetic Elench (purely defensive group) and Ulterior (detached group). "Consider Phlebas" is bearable for people not into deep science fiction, you get a look inside the Culture from the outside mostly. Banks often creates characters that live at the fringes of the Culture, to illustrate how the Culture deals with other civilizations. But I would be perfectly happy to read a boring description of daily life in the Culture cover to cover. IMO, only "Player of Games" and "Look To Windward" have plenty of that.

07-09-2010, 10:33 PM	#7
Thuringwethil Junior Member Guess me! Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 12 Time Online: 1 h 45 m Thanks: 0 Thx 0 Times in 0 Posts	Well maybe is worth to notice that there is easy way to identify what kind of novel Banks book will be. If he writing in "main stream" (usually some kind of crime novel like "The Use of Weapons"),then he signed them as Iain Banks, if sci-fi Iain M. Banks. Small but in my opinion quite useful hint taken from one of fantasy/sci-fi lovers polish forum.