| TWTD book club - Iain (with or without the 'M') Banks edition. 04:54 - Jul 5 with 1598 views | BlueBadger |
Having some night shift down time and stumbled across this great article in the Graun a few days ago about the late great Iain ('M' optional) Banks.
A surprisingly civilised discussion in the comments too.
I'm with a lot of the commenters here - 'A song of Stone' IS a horrible slog and 'The Player of Games' is a perfect intro to The Culture(although my favourite from his sci-fi is 'The Algebraist')
And for a bloke who delighted in weird, sadistic violence and bleak endings he could write some genuinely great 'happy ending' stories as well.
Which is why 'The Crow Road' is one of my all time favourite reads.
https://www.theguardian.com/books/2023/jun/29/where-to-start-with-iain-banks [Post edited 5 Jul 2023 4:55]
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| TWTD book club - Iain (with or without the 'M') Banks edition. on 08:04 - Jul 5 with 1499 views | DJR |
The TV adaptation of "The Crow Road" was also excellent. |  | | |
| TWTD book club - Iain (with or without the 'M') Banks edition. on 08:20 - Jul 5 with 1483 views | redrickstuhaart |
Use Of Weapons is the masterpiece. |  | | |
| TWTD book club - Iain (with or without the 'M') Banks edition. on 08:22 - Jul 5 with 1479 views | WeWereZombies |
Disappointed that there was no mention of 'Espedair Street' (an even warmer ending than 'The Crow Road' IMHO) and my personal favourite 'Whit' but I discovered a lot of Scotland beside a reading of Iain Banks...and have lived to tell the tale. Great shout on 'Complicity' though. |  |
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| TWTD book club - Iain (with or without the 'M') Banks edition. on 08:27 - Jul 5 with 1459 views | StokieBlue |
| TWTD book club - Iain (with or without the 'M') Banks edition. on 08:20 - Jul 5 by redrickstuhaart |
Use Of Weapons is the masterpiece. |
Fabulous book, as are all the Culture series to be fair.
SB |  |
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| TWTD book club - Iain (with or without the 'M') Banks edition. on 09:07 - Jul 5 with 1430 views | vilanovablue |
| TWTD book club - Iain (with or without the 'M') Banks edition. on 08:22 - Jul 5 by WeWereZombies |
Disappointed that there was no mention of 'Espedair Street' (an even warmer ending than 'The Crow Road' IMHO) and my personal favourite 'Whit' but I discovered a lot of Scotland beside a reading of Iain Banks...and have lived to tell the tale. Great shout on 'Complicity' though. |
I am huge Banks fan and thoroughly enjoyed Espedair Street too. |  | | |
| TWTD book club - Iain (with or without the 'M') Banks edition. on 10:30 - Jul 5 with 1394 views | Freddies_Ears |
| TWTD book club - Iain (with or without the 'M') Banks edition. on 09:07 - Jul 5 by vilanovablue |
I am huge Banks fan and thoroughly enjoyed Espedair Street too. |
And, Espedair Street is my favourite too! | | | |
| TWTD book club - Iain (with or without the 'M') Banks edition. on 13:22 - Jul 5 with 1349 views | stonojnr |
He's one of those authors like Terry Pratchett I can't get me head around their writing or their popularity. It's just everyone goes you like xyz you'll love Iain M Banks, and I've tried and they're just not for me.
I mean anyone read the Algebraist, and think it's a good book ? | | | |
| TWTD book club - Iain (with or without the 'M') Banks edition. on 14:14 - Jul 5 with 1333 views | wischip |
I read a lot as a kid then stopped for about 10 years. When I started commuting by train I read my first novel as an adult at 25 years old it was The Wasp Factory. It blew my mind. I've been working my way through his books in order ever since, about 1 every 2 years but I need to pick up the pace a bit. I loved Wasp/Glass/Bridge/Espedair and the first 3 sci-fi novels. I didn't really get into Crow Road maybe need to re-read. I really enjoyed Canal Dreams despite reading that was the one most people didn't care for. |  | | |
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| TWTD book club - Iain (with or without the 'M') Banks edition. on 14:52 - Jul 5 with 1306 views | Perublue |
The M. was when he did Sci'Fi wasn't it ?
Really got into his stuff (minus the sc-fi) back in the early 90's when all my work colleagues were reading his stuff...I know I enjoyed them but remember little...except Wasp factory that sticks in my mind for many reasons....as mentioned earlier by fellow poster,I really loved the crow road TV adaptation ...dare I say more than the book....I know that is sacrilege.
Taken far to early. |  |
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| TWTD book club - Iain (with or without the 'M') Banks edition. on 15:06 - Jul 5 with 1297 views | BlueBadger |
| TWTD book club - Iain (with or without the 'M') Banks edition. on 14:52 - Jul 5 by Perublue |
The M. was when he did Sci'Fi wasn't it ?
Really got into his stuff (minus the sc-fi) back in the early 90's when all my work colleagues were reading his stuff...I know I enjoyed them but remember little...except Wasp factory that sticks in my mind for many reasons....as mentioned earlier by fellow poster,I really loved the crow road TV adaptation ...dare I say more than the book....I know that is sacrilege.
Taken far to early. |
'M' is probably MORE sci-fi than 'non-M' but he quite often blurred the boundaries with stuff like 'The Bridge'(which some over-excitable fans even argue is a stealth Culture novel) or 'Transition'.
To be fair, the TV adaptation of TCR is top notch and well overdue an appearance on iPlayer. [Post edited 5 Jul 2023 15:13]
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| TWTD book club - Iain (with or without the 'M') Banks edition. on 15:08 - Jul 5 with 1293 views | BlueBadger |
| TWTD book club - Iain (with or without the 'M') Banks edition. on 08:22 - Jul 5 by WeWereZombies |
Disappointed that there was no mention of 'Espedair Street' (an even warmer ending than 'The Crow Road' IMHO) and my personal favourite 'Whit' but I discovered a lot of Scotland beside a reading of Iain Banks...and have lived to tell the tale. Great shout on 'Complicity' though. |
'Espedair Street' is a great shout. Probably slightly sacriliigeous but I always loved hi s'nice' books more than the 'nasty' ones. And as the man himself said, 'Complicity' DOES have a happy ending, its just not a happy ending for the protagonanist... | |
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| TWTD book club - Iain (with or without the 'M') Banks edition. on 15:09 - Jul 5 with 1293 views | BlueBadger |
| TWTD book club - Iain (with or without the 'M') Banks edition. on 13:22 - Jul 5 by stonojnr |
He's one of those authors like Terry Pratchett I can't get me head around their writing or their popularity. It's just everyone goes you like xyz you'll love Iain M Banks, and I've tried and they're just not for me.
I mean anyone read the Algebraist, and think it's a good book ? |
I loved the Algebraist. Proper 'wide screen' old-skool space opera. | |
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