Iain Banks

nesf

This is the name that Iain M. Banks publishes his fiction (non-sci fi stuff), or vica versa.

Just finished reading "The Wasp Factory", and "Walking on Glass", I'm just starting "the Bridge". I thought the former two were very good, esp the Wasp factory, I thougharily enjoyed it, and except for the odd extremely gruesome scene (the baby), I found some of the images he used very poignant.

Anyone else read much of his stuff?

-Padraig

echomadman

The Bridge is excellent, I'm re-reading it at the moment,
All of his Iain Banks novels are good, very dark humour and unconventional writing style.

I'd reccomend Whit as a next read, its hilarious.

Evil Phil

I think I've read all his novels both sci-fi and fiction except for Espidair Street and Dead Air (both are regular fiction) but they are high on the list. Iain Banks is one of my favourite authors.

xx

The wasp factory was fantastic, it got me hooked on good ol' Iano. But my fav has to be 'The Crow Road' - the consumate book for the self respecting college student.

Slutmonkey57b

The Bridge for its sublime mixture of styles, themes, viewpoints and attention to detail. A truly beautifully descriptive and immersing read, just complex enough to be intriguing, not so tangled as to be frustrating, and a lovely blending not only of the varied characters of the novel but of both of Banks' nom de plumes. To have mixed in so much of his sci-fi work into his "mainstream" fiction successfully serves only to prove how undervalued his (and other's) sci-fi is amongst literary critics.

A future nobel prize winner in my opinion.

MrNuked

read all his books.
Particularly liked the "culture" sci fi novels. (The player of games, Consider Phlebas, look to windwardand a couple of others tat I don't recall off the top of my head)
Dead Air, his most recent regular fiction, was disappointing. Ok but he seemed more concerned with putting across a slightly hackneyed political standpoint (via the "shock Jock" main character) than in actually writing a good book.

plastic membrane

The Crow Road is probably my favorite book. Its just absolutely brilliant.

Kolodny

Originally posted by nesf
except for the odd extremely gruesome scene

Ah, 'What Happened to Eric'. I remember being warned not to eat lunch before reading that chapter. It was the first thing by Banks I read (and his first novel) and I thought it was a pretty impressive debut.

simu

I've just got my hands on a copy of State of the Art (AFAIK it's the first of the Culture books), my first time reading Banks and having read just the first 3 short stories, I see myself becoming a big fan. Imaginative, witty sci-fi short stories, so far. Can't wait to continue reading.

bikini widow

I remember espedair street being bloody fantasitc but being quite disapointed with two of his recentish offerings Whit and the Business. I was disapointed but only because his other books had been so much better. Complicity and the Player of Games were both excellent.

smiles

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Kai

There was a television adaptation of the crow road. saw it ages ago and though it was very good. Never read any of his books, gona pick some up going by your reviews.

Crash

Heh, state of the art is NOT a good book to start with. i mean, its excellent, but one of the more Messed up ones. So far i've read bout half of his fiction ones and most of the sci-fi.

Favourite fiction would be crow road, its absolutely great
Whit'd come in a close second

My favourite Sci-fi would be use of weapons. a truely magnificient book.

Banks would be my most Favourite-est author Ever

the only banks books i didnt enjoy as much would be "the Bridge" and "inversions"


Read "The business", absolutely brilliant.