bathsheba666
Fast 'n Bulbous
Iain M Banks is dead:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-22835047
No more of my favourite science fiction.
RIP
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-22835047
No more of my favourite science fiction.
RIP
Death of the Culture
- Thread starter bathsheba666
- Start date
GoodSarmatian
Jokerfied Western Male
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No !
Why ?
He was one of my favorite writers (SF and in general).
RIP
Why ?
He was one of my favorite writers (SF and in general).
RIP
GinandTonic
Saphire w/ Schweps + Lime
- Joined
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A true unique. Everything he wrote was different. No idea what the next book could be. Might be something you didn't really get along with, but even then I had a powerful sense it was more likely my failing than his. I'm going to dig out The Wasp Factory.
It'll be a long time till people stop comparing debut novels to The Wasp Factory.
It'll be a long time till people stop comparing debut novels to The Wasp Factory.
I knew of his name, and the Wasp Factory, also that he wrote sci-fi as well. Never actually read anything by him apart from some passages here and there.
So i cannot really say anything about his work. I read that he was suffering from cancer for many years now.
Sadly i do not believe i have read many Scottish writers up to now. Apart from the (obvious) RL Stevenson.
RIP
So i cannot really say anything about his work. I read that he was suffering from cancer for many years now.
Sadly i do not believe i have read many Scottish writers up to now. Apart from the (obvious) RL Stevenson.
RIP
Ice_Tyrant
Prince
A bit of an overstatement.
bathsheba666
Fast 'n Bulbous
?? What is the overstatement ?
GinandTonic
Saphire w/ Schweps + Lime
- Joined
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Someone doesn't get the reference?
He's one of those people I thought should've been brave enough to go for cryopreservation.
Tycho Brahe
Emperor
Oh no! 59 isn't that old....
59 isn't that old....
Kozmos
Jew Detective
What a shame. Though I did put his books on my reading list because I heard many great things about his SF.
warpus
Sommerswerd asked me to change this
I wrote this about him the minute I sat down at my computer after returning from dinner:
I saw earlier today that Iain M. Banks died, but I didn't really want to believe it. I was really busy anyway, building a shed, so I left my computer alone hoping that it just wasn't true. I knew he said about a month ago that he had a month left to live.. but.. This just seems so f'd up. I've been reading this guy's books for 2 and a half years now and it's not like I know him personally or anything, but his ideas will live with me forever. I picked up "The Algebraist" in New Zealand on a whim and the first chapter just made me think "wow.. why haven't I been reading stuff by this guy until now??". This is a sad time indeed.. I am not sure how I'm going to be able to ration the rest of his books to last me the rest of my life, but.. I guess somehow it must be done. Both his sci-fi and non-sci-fi work. RIP Iain M. Banks. You have influenced me in ways most other people just wouldn't have been able to.
I saw earlier today that Iain M. Banks died, but I didn't really want to believe it. I was really busy anyway, building a shed, so I left my computer alone hoping that it just wasn't true. I knew he said about a month ago that he had a month left to live.. but.. This just seems so f'd up. I've been reading this guy's books for 2 and a half years now and it's not like I know him personally or anything, but his ideas will live with me forever. I picked up "The Algebraist" in New Zealand on a whim and the first chapter just made me think "wow.. why haven't I been reading stuff by this guy until now??". This is a sad time indeed.. I am not sure how I'm going to be able to ration the rest of his books to last me the rest of my life, but.. I guess somehow it must be done. Both his sci-fi and non-sci-fi work. RIP Iain M. Banks. You have influenced me in ways most other people just wouldn't have been able to.
Leifmk
Deity
Perhaps my single greatest favourite author for these past twenty-plus years. Cancer can go screw itself.
bathsheba666
Fast 'n Bulbous
One school of thought says you should not read the first 'Consider Phebas', until after reading 'Player of Games' for reasons of accessibility to the whole notion.
Quackers
The Frog
RIP.
I've read 4 or 5 books of his over the past year. The writing and storytelling is impressive but i think his biggest quality was his imagination. Some of the ideas and themes he used were completely abstract thoughts to me and they definitely stimulated my own personal creativity and interest in space.
Bank's had written quite a courageous and honest statement to the public, which can be read here.
I've read 4 or 5 books of his over the past year. The writing and storytelling is impressive but i think his biggest quality was his imagination. Some of the ideas and themes he used were completely abstract thoughts to me and they definitely stimulated my own personal creativity and interest in space.
Bank's had written quite a courageous and honest statement to the public, which can be read here.
So I've never heard of this guy, but this thread has me intrigued.
Without spoilers, why should I read him, and what should I start with?
How would you characterize his oeuvre?
Without spoilers, why should I read him, and what should I start with?
How would you characterize his oeuvre?
His most famous work is probably the Wasp Factory.
I think it was one of his earliest published works too (even the earliest, not sure). I wanted to read it in the past, but had a look at some passages and it just was not really what i enjoy reading. However it did achieve fame (and notoriety) pretty fast.
I think it was one of his earliest published works too (even the earliest, not sure). I wanted to read it in the past, but had a look at some passages and it just was not really what i enjoy reading. However it did achieve fame (and notoriety) pretty fast.
GinandTonic
Saphire w/ Schweps + Lime
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Mad conceptual stuff. With the middle M he's sci-fi, without it he's straight literature. Bit of a bugger for the sting in the tail. The sci-fi is a kind of dark post-scarsity thing called The Culture. Start with Use of Weapons. Without the M his first book was The Wasp Factory. It's short. Its good. It's remained in all good bookstores since it was published. Have a taste.
In a phrase I would say Gothic Sans Serief.
In a phrase I would say Gothic Sans Serief.
Very sad to hear that.
Read The Player of Games a while ago. Wonderful setting, but I found the characterization and plot lacking. Which is a shame because I would love to read good scifi settings that focus on the social aspects, but I can't if it doesn't work as a novel with me.
Maybe I should give him another chance.
Read The Player of Games a while ago. Wonderful setting, but I found the characterization and plot lacking. Which is a shame because I would love to read good scifi settings that focus on the social aspects, but I can't if it doesn't work as a novel with me.
Maybe I should give him another chance.
