lpski1

Has anyone read this ? thoughts / Opinions on it most welcome.

I am just starting it, i hear his previous books have been rather good. The Wasp Factory in particular.

289

Had it for a few months now - up there with Espedair Street, IMO, and way better than Whit or The Business.

My book of the year by a long way.

ProperCharlie

I liked his earlier books but i was reading "crow road" whilst on holiday - very dull and annoying IMO

289

Forgot to say that I thought The Crow Road was also excellent.(sorry PC!)

I hate the sci-fi stuff though.

lpski1

Its the first one of his that i am reading. so far so good, entertaining and can relate to it quite well. The london thing mainly.

Squizz

I love his Sci-Fi (Iain M. Banks).

"Consider Plebas" was my first, and then the stunning "Use of Weapons" with a twist at the end that will certainly strain your noodle!

Never been interested in his terrestrial bound fiction, though.

Markus

Read Dead Air a while back. Fantastic book! I'm a very big banksie fan. Got all the Menzies novels and most of the normal ones.

Canal Dreams is probably my least fave, but Espedair Street and Wasp Factory are great, as is complicity.

As for the sci-fi stuff, well, I'm reading Use of Weapons at the moment for the sixth time, and it's still great. I think Feersum Endjinn is right up there too. Inversions is a little weird though.

The 'culture' novels are great, Excessions being a good one with the minds talking to each other, very interesting.

Must say that Iain is a very talented writer, I don't know many people who could write sci-fi and non sci-fi stuff and have both be of excellent quality.

Oh, and if you're after another good read, try ***** Gibsons "Pattern Recognition" See you all on F:F:F

Chris L

I've read most of Iain Banks' books - very good IMHO. Up there with the best writers in the country. The Wasp Factory is quite disturbing, but also very funny. Espedair Street is my persoanl favourite. If his new one is as good as that, then it will be well worth a read.

The Crow Road was good and I also liked Whit and The Office. Sci Fi stuff is worth a read even if you aren't into that sort of thing. The books are so well written, that it doesn't matter. The Player of Games is a good one to start with.

Chris

Duck_Pond

The Wasp Factory is a very memorable book - funny, and with a rather surprising ending. Was one of those books you didn't want to put down.

289

Canal Dreams though? Never got it.

I was driving in the West Coast of Scotland some time back (as you do) and came across a sign to Back of Keppoch, and took a detour. Well, it would have been rude not to visit the place where Danny Weir finally found contentment, depite the fact I ended up missing my ferry as a result.