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Ian M.Banks culture novels.

junglie2022

junglie2022

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For anyone into his science fiction work or thinking about reading them, a brilliant summary of them on youtube -https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0MOZubzNO6c&t=2508s&ab_channel=ScienceFictionwithDamienWalter
 
I picked one of the series up from a free library a while back. I didn't finish it because I found the story too nasty, but I was blown away by his imagination.
Highly recommended, if that's your thing.
 
Kiwi said:
I picked one of the series up from a free library a while back. I didn't finish it because I found the story too nasty, but I was blown away by his imagination.
Highly recommended, if that's your thing.
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Was it the art of war? Consider Phlebas is the first one of the culture novels & an easier start to them but i found them hard going too at first & put it down a few times to re start a good while later tbh.
 
junglie2022 said:
For anyone into his science fiction work or thinking about reading them, a brilliant summary of them on youtube -https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0MOZubzNO6c&t=2508s&ab_channel=ScienceFictionwithDamienWalter
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Fascinating link thank you. I've read all of them, mostly on the planes home, really enjoyed them, although was mostly baffled by "Matter". Wonderful imagination, I like the sentient ships and their ironic names.
 
JAA7 said:
Fascinating link thank you. I've read all of them, mostly on the planes home, really enjoyed them, although was mostly baffled by "Matter". Wonderful imagination, I like the sentient ships and their ironic names.
Click to expand...
Yes I've liked Ians warped sense of humour ever since i read The Wasp Factory, his first novel when it came out in the 80's. Been into sci fi since i was a kid too with Asimov , Phillip K dick & Brian Aldiss being some of my favorites
 
Read all his science fiction and his mainstream stuff (apart from the whiskey book) . No other writer compares for science fiction for me but I still hope to find one.It would be great if someone picked up the "culture" baton.
 
Yep, read The Wasp Factory, which although its considered a classic, I found hard going and sadistic. Not really my thing.
Have read a few others, The Player of Games, The Algebraist, etc. They were ok.
 
junglie2022 said:
Was it the art of war? Consider Phlebas is the first one of the culture novels & an easier start to them but i found them hard going too at first & put it down a few times to re start a good while later tbh.
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surface detail? It started off with the slave girl being hunted down in a big theatre set.
 
Kiwi said:
surface detail? It started off with the slave girl being hunted down in a big theatre set.
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Did it? Will have to re read it haven't read it for 30 years .
 
JAA7 said:
Fascinating link thank you. I've read all of them, mostly on the planes home, really enjoyed them, although was mostly baffled by "Matter". Wonderful imagination, I like the sentient ships and their ironic names.
Click to expand...
Currently (re)reading Matter.
Iain Banks is one of my favourite authors alongside Terry Pratchett.

My favourite of his is the Algebraist: though I think all his work is excellent scifi and other.

steelyglint said:
Read all his science fiction and his mainstream stuff (apart from the whiskey book) . No other writer compares for science fiction for me but I still hope to find one.It would be great if someone picked up the "culture" baton.
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Try red Mars trilogy by Kim Stanley Robinson or Children of time trilogy by Aidrian Tchaikobsky.

Similar feel to Banks work and both great reads.
 
I've got the Wasp Factory and Player of Games, not read Wasp Factory yet but the Player of Games is very good, great imagination 👍.
Alistair Reynolds is one of my favourite SF authors, again a fantastic imagination 🙂
 
I tried reading Consider Phlebas but just couldn't get into it. I should probably try again at some point.

I've read much of Neal Asher's Polity novels, which I've quite enjoyed over the years.
 
I read Excession and thought it OK but not great and then started the player of games and gave up on it.
 
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