A good price for Matter - Science Fiction Fantasy Chronicles: forums

Bascule · 16th November 2007, 03:08 PM

Hi all,

I'm looking forward to the big day next year when I can get stuck in again to a Culture novel. 7 years is far too long!

I just pre-ordered my copy of Matter from Waterstones. Seemed like good value so I thought I'd mention it here. Currently £12.59 delivered but I got it for £10.70 using one of those codes available from the VoucherCodes web site.

easygoingman · 7th December 2007, 10:37 AM

Hi there
I love the Culture stories/universe as well (but do have some issues)
Sounds like a good price, but it's hard to fit a hardback in my bag.
What if Iain kills off most of the Culture in this story?

easygoingman · 24th January 2008, 01:33 PM

I didn't even know Matter was now out until I saw it on Amazon

Has anyone here read it yet?

Rane Longfox · 24th January 2008, 03:16 PM

Not out till the 7th of Feb here in the UK, I don't think. Amazon might be shipping already though I suppose, they often get things a bit early.

There's an extract of the prologue here though, which looks encouraging

easygoingman · 24th January 2008, 03:36 PM

Why thanks Rane! The extract looks promising indeed. I might just have to order it this week

I love 9/10 of Iain's Sci Fi

Mad Tam McC · 24th January 2008, 05:21 PM

I've just read the prologue and I heard or read an interview some years back from Iain Banks that said he wanted exactly that scenario as the opening of a book.

Lucien21 · 24th January 2008, 07:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rane Longfox

Not out till the 7th of Feb here in the UK, I don't think. Amazon might be shipping already though I suppose, they often get things a bit early.

There's an extract of the prologue here though, which looks encouraging

Actually I bought Matter today.

It seems to be out.

I got it for Half Price (£9.49) in Waterstones Edinburgh.

Rane Longfox · 24th January 2008, 07:06 PM

Half price even before the official release date? Ouch

Tillane · 24th January 2008, 09:09 PM

Amazon also have it in stock, for £10.99. No surprise that they're undercutting the RRP already, but I'm surprised that Waterstones are.

clovis-man · 24th January 2008, 11:00 PM

Amazon in the U.S.A. will have it available on Feb. 27th for $17.00 if you pre-order.

Jim

Tillane · 25th January 2008, 05:27 PM

Okay, so I picked up a copy at Waterstones Newcastle today, for £9.49 as Lucien said. And asked the girl behind the counter how come it was out earlier than slated - and why they were selling it so cheap.

Apparently, the release date was brought forward so the book would be in contention for awards it would otherwise have missed. Sounds...vaguely plausible, I guess, though she couldn't tell me which ones. She did say that Stephen King's latest has also been brought forward slightly for the same reason.

As for the price, well I did at least get an honest answer: "because we can afford to sell it for that price and be sure that we'll shift enough copies to make our profit target." How wonderfully capitalist of them...

Rane Longfox · 25th January 2008, 05:53 PM

You would have thought Banks is a high-seller, so they could afford to keep their prices up, really. Ah well.

Strife · 25th January 2008, 05:57 PM

when I asked about Matter, my sister told me she had subscribed to Orbit newsletter (on their website)

i guess the Culture novels are another must read... something I should get acquainted with....

Rane Longfox · 25th January 2008, 06:35 PM

Absolutely! Love the Culture novels, they're a cut above the rest, they really are

I can't even work out which is my favourite, I'd probably have 3 or 4 in my top 10 books at least!!

Lord Soth · 28th January 2008, 11:07 PM

I'm about half way through Matter now, and I must admit i'm not overly impressed.

Its been a long time since I have a read a culture novel, and I suppose I was expecting more 'sci-fi' and less quasi-fantasy. I'm also not too enamoured by (probably petty I know) the silly names character names the linguistic background depth of said names - even some of the prose started to annoy me

/sighs

Ahh well - perhaps my tastes have changed since I last read Culture novels, I think I'll dig out some of the old ones from my loft and see if mt current expectations were not overly 'rose tinted'

On a different note I just finished Gridlinked which i mostly enjoyed, not sure about the ending and the reasoning behing the second plotline though - needed fleshing out a little. However I am very happy that I can look forward to another 6+ books in the same universe. Already have The Line of Polity on my shelf (next to the Dragon Master Omnibus by Chris Bunch - that any good?).

For me I hope Matter improves in the second half!

16th November 2007, 03:08 PM	#1 (permalink)
Bascule Registered User Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Surrey Posts: 3	A good price for Matter Hi all, I'm looking forward to the big day next year when I can get stuck in again to a Culture novel. 7 years is far too long! I just pre-ordered my copy of Matter from Waterstones. Seemed like good value so I thought I'd mention it here. Currently £12.59 delivered but I got it for £10.70 using one of those codes available from the VoucherCodes web site.

7th December 2007, 10:37 AM	#2 (permalink)
easygoingman Registered User Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: UK: ENGLAND: Posts: 51	Re: A good price for Matter Hi there I love the Culture stories/universe as well (but do have some issues) Sounds like a good price, but it's hard to fit a hardback in my bag. What if Iain kills off most of the Culture in this story?

24th January 2008, 01:33 PM	#3 (permalink)
easygoingman Registered User Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: UK: ENGLAND: Posts: 51	Re: A good price for Matter I didn't even know Matter was now out until I saw it on Amazon Has anyone here read it yet?

24th January 2008, 03:16 PM	#4 (permalink)
Rane Longfox Pallid, Lumigoth Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Greater Manchester Posts: 3,181	Re: A good price for Matter Not out till the 7th of Feb here in the UK, I don't think. Amazon might be shipping already though I suppose, they often get things a bit early. There's an extract of the prologue here though, which looks encouraging

24th January 2008, 03:36 PM	#5 (permalink)
easygoingman Registered User Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: UK: ENGLAND: Posts: 51	Re: A good price for Matter Why thanks Rane! The extract looks promising indeed. I might just have to order it this week I love 9/10 of Iain's Sci Fi

24th January 2008, 05:21 PM	#6 (permalink)
Mad Tam McC Mutually Assured Destruct Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: City of Edinburgh Posts: 111	Re: A good price for Matter I've just read the prologue and I heard or read an interview some years back from Iain Banks that said he wanted exactly that scenario as the opening of a book.

24th January 2008, 07:06 PM	#8 (permalink)
Rane Longfox Pallid, Lumigoth Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Greater Manchester Posts: 3,181	Re: A good price for Matter Half price even before the official release date? Ouch

24th January 2008, 09:09 PM	#9 (permalink)
Tillane Cynique du Nord Join Date: May 2007 Location: Tyne and Wear Posts: 557	Re: A good price for Matter Amazon also have it in stock, for £10.99. No surprise that they're undercutting the RRP already, but I'm surprised that Waterstones are.

24th January 2008, 11:00 PM	#10 (permalink)
clovis-man Prehistoric Irish Cynic Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: California Posts: 359	Re: A good price for Matter Amazon in the U.S.A. will have it available on Feb. 27th for $17.00 if you pre-order. Jim

25th January 2008, 05:27 PM	#11 (permalink)
Tillane Cynique du Nord Join Date: May 2007 Location: Tyne and Wear Posts: 557	Re: A good price for Matter Okay, so I picked up a copy at Waterstones Newcastle today, for £9.49 as Lucien said. And asked the girl behind the counter how come it was out earlier than slated - and why they were selling it so cheap. Apparently, the release date was brought forward so the book would be in contention for awards it would otherwise have missed. Sounds...vaguely plausible, I guess, though she couldn't tell me which ones. She did say that Stephen King's latest has also been brought forward slightly for the same reason. As for the price, well I did at least get an honest answer: "because we can afford to sell it for that price and be sure that we'll shift enough copies to make our profit target." How wonderfully capitalist of them...

25th January 2008, 05:53 PM	#12 (permalink)
Rane Longfox Pallid, Lumigoth Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Greater Manchester Posts: 3,181	Re: A good price for Matter You would have thought Banks is a high-seller, so they could afford to keep their prices up, really. Ah well.

25th January 2008, 05:57 PM	#13 (permalink)
Strife Riding Fenrir Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Monaco Posts: 122	Re: A good price for Matter when I asked about Matter, my sister told me she had subscribed to Orbit newsletter (on their website) i guess the Culture novels are another must read... something I should get acquainted with....

25th January 2008, 06:35 PM	#14 (permalink)
Rane Longfox Pallid, Lumigoth Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Greater Manchester Posts: 3,181	Re: A good price for Matter Absolutely! Love the Culture novels, they're a cut above the rest, they really are I can't even work out which is my favourite, I'd probably have 3 or 4 in my top 10 books at least!!

28th January 2008, 11:07 PM	#15 (permalink)
Lord Soth Mumbling though life Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: South Yorkshire Posts: 29	Re: A good price for Matter I'm about half way through Matter now, and I must admit i'm not overly impressed. Its been a long time since I have a read a culture novel, and I suppose I was expecting more 'sci-fi' and less quasi-fantasy. I'm also not too enamoured by (probably petty I know) the silly names character names the linguistic background depth of said names - even some of the prose started to annoy me /sighs Ahh well - perhaps my tastes have changed since I last read Culture novels, I think I'll dig out some of the old ones from my loft and see if mt current expectations were not overly 'rose tinted' On a different note I just finished Gridlinked which i mostly enjoyed, not sure about the ending and the reasoning behing the second plotline though - needed fleshing out a little. However I am very happy that I can look forward to another 6+ books in the same universe. Already have The Line of Polity on my shelf (next to the Dragon Master Omnibus by Chris Bunch - that any good?). For me I hope Matter improves in the second half!

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