Iain M. Banks

Avatar · Posted: Mon Jun 10, 2013 6:03 am Post subject:

A sad day for Sci-Fi.

Rest in peace. And thanks for the great books.

--A
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Fist and Faith · Posted: Mon Oct 28, 2013 2:19 am Post subject:

As I said in the general thread, I'm reading Consider Phlebas. On page 207 of 429 in the Nook format. Honestly, it's just annoying so far. There's so much that could be happening, and should be. The premise of the book, for example. A Mind manages to crash-land on a Planet of the Dead. Minds in general, what this particular one did, and the planet all seem to be a big deal. Horza is hired to try to go get it. But half through the book, and that's nowhere near what's going on. Everything possiblek but that is happening.
-The ship he's on gets attacked.
-Horza gets away, but is captured by pirates.
-He has to kill one of them to earn a place with them.
-They attack a temple, but get their butts kicked.
-They try to loot a Megaship on an Orbital, but the Megaship crashes into a flying iceberg, among other problems.
-He survives the Megaship, but ends up on an island with NASTY folks.
-He gets away, and goes looking for the leader of the pirates, who is going to a card game.
-The pirate has to quit the game, and Horza spends many pages trying to find, follow, and subdue him.

I mean, sheesh!!! Can we get to the actual premise of the book in the second half??
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Avatar · Posted: Mon Oct 28, 2013 5:11 am Post subject:

The Culture is a big place...lots happens. Very Happy

--A
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Fist and Faith · Posted: Mon Oct 28, 2013 10:10 am Post subject:

Right?!?

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We are not required to save the world. We are required to stand up as truly as we can for what we love. -SRD

All lies and jest
Still a man hears what he wants to hear
And disregards the rest -Paul Simon

ussusimiel · Posted: Mon Oct 28, 2013 1:14 pm Post subject:

Yeah, Fist, it's a big place, it's your first visit, enjoy the tour. Sheesh!!! Are you becoming a grumpy old man?! I read this when I was still teen and thought it was brilliant: the megaships, the Orbital, the Eaters, the Players on the Eve of Destruction. C'monnnn!!!

And there so much more to come in all the other excellent Culture novels: The Player of Games, Use of Weapons, Excession. It'll never be new again, give it the time it deserves.

u.
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Fist and Faith · Posted: Mon Oct 28, 2013 5:41 pm Post subject:

I'll be 50 in December, so yeah. Very Happy

But damn... There's AI, airships four km long, spaceships to dwarf them, space stations to dwarf the spaceships, energies and technologies beyond description... And I get Bugs Bunny in a cauldron with Yosemite Sam making rabbit stew. Laughing

But the Orbital just blew up, and they're on their way. Looking for some good stuff now!!
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We are not required to save the world. We are required to stand up as truly as we can for what we love. -SRD

All lies and jest
Still a man hears what he wants to hear
And disregards the rest -Paul Simon

wayfriend · Posted: Mon Oct 28, 2013 7:41 pm Post subject:

I think you will enjoy the Affront.
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* I occasionally post things on KevinsWatch because I am a fan of Stephen R. Donaldson; this should not be considered as condonation of the white nationalist propaganda which is posted far too frequently on this website.

Avatar · Posted: Tue Oct 29, 2013 5:49 am Post subject:

I love the ship minds myself. Very Happy

--A
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It's easy to judge. It's more difficult to understand.

Vraith · Posted: Thu Feb 22, 2018 5:41 am Post subject:

HOLY SHIT!!! FREAKING AMAZON IS MAKING A SERIES OF THE CULTURE BOOKS!!!!!!![color=red]!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!![/color]!
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Avatar · Posted: Thu Feb 22, 2018 5:45 am Post subject:

Hmmmm.

Could be good. A season per book? Would love to see The Player Of Games.

https://io9.gizmodo.com/amazon-is-turning-iain-m-banks-iconic-culture-books-in-1823205900

--A
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Skyweir · Posted: Fri Jun 22, 2018 8:03 am Post subject:

Oooh looks very cool 😎 Big Grin

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vasko · Posted: Wed Mar 17, 2021 5:00 pm Post subject:

I can't believe it's been more than 7 years since he died!
Also, this is old news too but the dream has died:
Cancelled

In other news.. This forum is still here! Soo happy. I was only ever an infrequent visitor but nice to have a good old-fashioned forum to visit that hasn't been deserted for Slack or Discord.

Smile

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Avatar · Posted: Thu Mar 18, 2021 9:06 am Post subject:

Nice to see you around Vasko. Visit more. Very Happy

(We have a Discord too. Wink

)

Pity about the series, but they would have ruined it anyway so... Wink

--A
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Damelon · Posted: Thu Mar 25, 2021 10:47 pm Post subject:

Seeing Iain M. Banks' name pop up reminds me that I've had Surface Detail on my kindle for a long time now and I've never gotten around to reading it. Embarassed

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vasko · Posted: Fri Mar 26, 2021 9:17 am Post subject:

Yeah, I have it sitting on my shelf as the last of his books I'll ever read..
Been there for aages.. Almost don't want to do it Sad

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Avatar · Posted: Tue Apr 06, 2021 11:41 am Post subject:

It was pretty good actually, but The Hydrogen Sonata was the last IIRC.

--A
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Fist and Faith · Posted: Tue Apr 06, 2021 5:33 pm Post subject:

You can all keep him. Laughing

I've never been more disappointed in a book that I finished than that one of his that I read.
_________________
We are not required to save the world. We are required to stand up as truly as we can for what we love. -SRD

All lies and jest
Still a man hears what he wants to hear
And disregards the rest -Paul Simon

Avatar · Posted: Mon Apr 12, 2021 11:32 am Post subject:

Which one?

--A
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wayfriend · Posted: Mon Apr 12, 2021 12:43 pm Post subject:

The first book of his that I read was Excession, and I thought that it was really very good. Since then, I have read some others, and I have come to think I stumbled upon his best book first. So I am not surprised at Fists comment - he really is hit-or-miss. (And I think it was Consider Phebas that he read ... I didn't find that to be stellar either.)
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* I occasionally post things on KevinsWatch because I am a fan of Stephen R. Donaldson; this should not be considered as condonation of the white nationalist propaganda which is posted far too frequently on this website.

SleeplessOne · Posted: Wed Apr 14, 2021 9:01 am Post subject: