Excession

I thought I'd never enjoy reading science fiction again, but this book proved me wrong. Great story, great writing, interesting characters - especially the ships, which have fascinating and surprisingly complex personalities. Loved it, and can't wait to read some more.

VERY tough read! But engrossing.

Does Banks' imagination know no limits? From where does he get all these incredible ideas? Superb!

Best book ever

one of my all time faves, the GSVs are fabulous, the names genius. He's lost it a little recently, although the latest culture novel is a return to form but this is special for me

This book I keep on my humour section on my bookcase; along with Flann o'Brien, Beachcomber, Pete n dud, Diary of a Nobody etc. The spaceships (who have evolved into super brainy 'minds') have hilarious names - a delight for anybody seeking out a new password - and they have the most petty childish arguments and tussles. I love it. Whenever I feel down I just read...more

This book I keep on my humour section on my bookcase; along with Flann o'Brien, Beachcomber, Pete n dud, Diary of a Nobody etc. The spaceships (who have evolved into super brainy 'minds') have hilarious names - a delight for anybody seeking out a new password - and they have the most petty childish arguments and tussles. I love it. Whenever I feel down I just read the spaceships having a barny. Anybody who loves sci fi such as Dark Star will really get this. Also try The Algebraist by Ian M Banks. What I like about this new Science fiction writing is it's positive thinking. Banks writes about a future where one can change gender at will, be a loony dirigible from a gas planet and no-one judges you. The dirigible in the Algebraist is just like Falstaff in Shakespeare's Henry plays- a total buffoon - very much like Uncle Toby in Tristram Shandy or Miles Gloriosus (Plautus). A great tradition of tomfoolery. Celebratory and uplifting.   hide

I gave up on this halfway through ten years ago. Finished it while I was waiting for my copy of Look to Windward to arrive. Problem with the culture books is a) So many important characters that I forget who's who, especially when they drop out of the story for 50 pages or so. b) No idea how to pronounce their weird names, which exacerbates the former problem. Surprised how many transhumanist...more

I gave up on this halfway through ten years ago. Finished it while I was waiting for my copy of Look to Windward to arrive. Problem with the culture books is a) So many important characters that I forget who's who, especially when they drop out of the story for 50 pages or so. b) No idea how to pronounce their weird names, which exacerbates the former problem. Surprised how many transhumanist ideas Banks includes in this and Feersum Endjinn - uploading, implants, VR, nanotech, GMOs. Suppose I just wasn't looking out for these things back in the early 90s. Tempting me to re-read Consider Phlebas because of that..   hide

A Culture novel, and that says most of it already to Banks fans. If you're not - think very far future, unimaginably high tech, where spaceships are one of many kinds of intelligent sentient AI beings; many alien species are about; and humans live for hundreds of years and can change their bodies more or less at will, or go into suspended animation waiting for something interesting to occur. The...more

A Culture novel, and that says most of it already to Banks fans. If you're not - think very far future, unimaginably high tech, where spaceships are one of many kinds of intelligent sentient AI beings; many alien species are about; and humans live for hundreds of years and can change their bodies more or less at will, or go into suspended animation waiting for something interesting to occur. The focus here is the "excession" - a mysterious something, an apparently impervious sphere; is it from another universe? Several cultures are interested in gaining possession or access and/or preventing others from doing likewise. The Affront are one of these groups, a nasty species though oddly almost likable despite their cruelty, and they'd very much like to score one on the self-righteous Culture.   hide

Hmm. Not entirely sure I got this one. May have to give it a re-read.