Culture Fans? (Iain M Banks)

[bobbo19]

got it sorted, <<<<<<. Yeah i agree, Scientists such as Gregory Benford get really technical. If you like scientists, theni would put you on to him!

[AE35Unit]

Originally Posted by bobbo19

got it sorted, <<<<<<. Yeah i agree, Scientists such as Gregory Benford get really technical. If you like scientists, theni would put you on to him!

Yea I've read quite a few Benford books,mainly the series sort of beginning with Great Sky River.
Very good author when he's on form.

[Fal]

I borrowed and read 'Consider Phlebas' which I thought was set on such a grand, epic scale! The size of the ships, the disciption of the mind and it's memory capacity was phenominal!

I certainly want to read more about the culture, when I find the time and finish reading those I already have stacked high.

[Rodders]

Does Iain M. Banks plan to return to the Culture? I've not heard anything?

[bobbo19]

@ Rodders

Man i hope so, even though i do not own all the culture novels. Matter is his latest one is'nt it?

[Rodders]

Yes, Matter is his latest Culture novel. I've not yet read it, but i'm let to believe that it's not actually set in the Culture. Could be another "Contact" novel like inversions.

[Dave]

I've read Matter. It concerns a Culture Special Circumstances operative who returns to her homeworld (not a part of the Culture) to deal with some family business. Her homeworld is a strange low-tech, hollow, Shellworld, with a number of different levels beneath the surface. Some of it's inhabitants don't realise this, and there is a power struggle between the two that do, and a race to uncover an ancient artefact. Many people find it more fantasy than scifi and don't like it for that reason. It is a Culture Novel, but there are no Minds in it, and only one drone that follows her on her journey back home.

[Joey Sixknuckles]

I found 'Matter' really hard going, in fact I've been on a break from reading it for several months. I think it's far too padded out, and needs some heavy editing, it's one of those books I would buy again if they released "an editor's cut" edition.

There are still plenty of Culture elements to keep us junkies happy in my opinion, and the fantasy elements are actually quite good fun, it's just too long.

[bobbo19]

well, im reading matter now and im about 300 pages in. Yes i agree with some of th previous comments that its padded out and a slow starter, but it is really beginning to pick up and enticing me to read on. To be honest the book just gets better and better as it goes along. His descriptions of ancient civilisations and past genocides/shellwords are brilliant. Worth a buy if anyone is unsure.

[Lenny]

Got Consider Phlebas for Christmas and finished it within a couple of days - I loved it. I've read SF before, but nothing quite like Banks.

A week ago, I ordered the full collection (as well as his other SF, except Transition, which I'm waiting for the paperback version of), but foolishly only had two delivered to Durham - Player of Games and Use of Weapons.

Read PoG for an hour yesterday and finished it in a session this evening (which ended five minutes ago) - I enjoyed it immensely. UoW will follow tomorrow and, alas, will probably be finished just as quickly.

They (and the new Hobb) were supposed to be my after-exams entertainment. I'm half tempted to send my parents some money and have them post the rest of the collection up here.

[gully_foyle]

Always pleasing to here a long serving chron has become a new convert to the Banksian cause. Send the money!

[Lenny]

Never got round to reading my new Hobb after exams - Use of Weapons was a real chore to get through. The spelt-out chapters were often rather good, but the numbered chapters really put me off; I must have picked it up about thirteen times...

However, having finally finished it last night (nearly three months later! The last book that took me that long to read was Erikson's Gardens of the Moon on my first go through!), I don't think I've been giving it it's due. If I'd have realised earlier the way he'd set it out (numbered chapters descending, spelt-out chapters ascending) then I might have read it with a different view.

Ah well, it's done now. I might re-read it in the distant future, but for now it's my least favourite Banks book and one that I'll remember for a long time as horribly disjointed.

[J-WO]

I see what your saying, though there is a lot to like about it. Then again, I had the luck of someone explaining to me what I was in for!

Now I think about it, could that be what divides opinion on this work? Were all those who favour this novel, lent a copy by a friend who told them 'This is great, but...'?

I can't help thinking Banks should have at least put some paragraph at the start, explaining how things will flow. It could easily have been done in character, as occurs exactly in Inversions.

A heavy handed measure, perhaps, but it would have saved a lot of readers a lot of struggle!

(Just noticed One of the little adverts at the top of this thread page is for 'Culture Jobs'. Looks like Diziet Sma is keeping herself busy, anyway...)

[Vertigo]

I agfree with you there J-WO, I actually loved the book but it did take me a while to get the hang of the structure.

Really we should know better; Banks is always having fun with that kind of thing and trying to push the boundaries - just look at Feersum Endjinn.

[Allegra]

Originally Posted by J-WO

Were all those who favour this novel, lent a copy by a friend who told them 'This is great, but...'?

Well, before I read it all I heard was 'This is great', no 'but...', and I avoided spoilers. I loved it from the start, though on occasions I had to read back and forth to make sure I followed it right. I have to say this is one of my favourite Banks.

Lenny, I think this book demands a lot of concentration. Next time read it in 3 days see what you think. Three months on and off you can kill off the best book!

Originally Posted by J-WO

(Just noticed One of the little adverts at the top of this thread page is for 'Culture Jobs'. Looks like Diziet Sma is keeping herself busy, anyway...)

Oh, that's very tempting!