Science Fiction Books > B Science Fiction Books

Extraordinary

Advantages: Mindblowing, fantastic
Disadvantages: None

Takes you into a whole new area of the Culture, where the AI minds discuss the problems that are occuring since the presence of an unidentified object. It is riddled with Banks' usual wit, imagination and depth. This gives many insights into areas of the Culture I'd not wondered about before. The is much intrigue with many twists along the way. This was book I'd heard many goods things said about it, and was not disappointed. You've heard books ...

TheZigStar 15.12.2005 · Read Full Review
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Review of Excession - Iain M. Banks

Inversions (Culture gone medieval)

Advantages: Another fresh view of Culture
Disadvantages: Not the book for somone starting Culture series

Iain M Banks Inversions is another page-turner in the great Culture series. A general description of Culture is that an Utopian, post-scarcity (limitless resources) alien society, lead/controlled by powerful Als. The view of Culture is that less-advanced societies would benefit from their influence, thus the series describes the interaction between Culture and other civilizations. Inversions continues on that similar theme but in a complete different ...
...and packed full of complex, fallible characters. The two plotline follows Special Circumstances agents in their widely different missions. Unfortunately I can't make an unbiased opinion on whether this a good book to start on Iain M Banks' Culture series. I would recommend to start the series with The Player of Games or Consider Phlebas. Both would provide a good background to Culture in general and Special Circumstances in particular. ...

blueonred 01.07.2008 · Read Full Review
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Review of Inversions - Iain M. Banks

One of his best

Advantages: A non-Culture book from one of the very best of Sci Fi authors
Disadvantages: None really... unless you don't like science fiction!

...great too, but I adore Against A Dark Background! I had been getting used to the concept of the Culture and I enjoy the culture novels the best of all of them generally. However, it was good to read a non-culture book of his and Against A Dark Background has become my favourite so far... although Use of Weapons comes close! The story is based on Sharrow... a former member of a personally attuned combat team. She is also being hunted by the Huhsz, ...
...Lazy Guns. A weapon so powerful that they could destroy the world or worse! They blamed Sharrow for the destruction of the only other Lazy Gun in existence and are determined to not only kill Sharrow, but also to claim the final Lazy Gun for themselves. And so begins a roller coaster of a race to find the last Lazy Gun whilst also uncovering plots within plots. As with all Banks' books, it is very cleverly written and something new and unexpected ...

poodu 02.01.2002 · Read Full Review
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Review of Against a Dark Background - Iain M. Banks

Gods' Game (Matter - Iain M. Banks)

Advantages: vintage M. Banks
Disadvantages: none really

A king of Sarl dies - seemingly in battle, but really by the hand of his right-hand man and friend. On of his sons runs away with his trusty servant to seek help from the representatives of civilisations so advanced that they are practically gods. A Special Circumstances agent, once the unruly princess and daughter of the king, on learning of his demise decides to get de-fanged and go back to a world which she thought she had left for good. The other ...
...personally supervising the discovery of a mysterious, unimaginably ancient and seemingly sentient artefact. Two of the most advanced civilisations in the Galaxy, the Morthanveld and The Culture, dance round each other trying to figure out why exactly one of the client cultures of Morthanveld created a phantom fleet of warships. And all of the action seems to concentrate and point to the strange and fascinating artificial world of Sursamen, a so called ...

magdadh 10.05.2009 · Read Full Review
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Review of Matter - Iain M. Banks

War! What is it Good For? Reading!

Advantages: A fun, all-action read
Disadvantages: Slightly weak ending

I recently enjoyed Chris Bunch's "Last Legion" series, which told the story of training, combat and down time in an army marooned without help and seemingly without hope in deep space. Robert Buettner's "Orphanage" promised more of the same, although based a little closer to home, so I was greatly looking forward to it. The world is on the brink of destruction, with an unknown enemy having taken over Ganymede, one of the moons of Jupiter, and firing ...
...is one of many to lose family in one of these strikes and his reaction to this leaves him facing a tough choice; jail or the Army. In a similar fashion to the TV series "Bad Lad's Army", we follow Wander through his basic training and see how the time in the Army changes him from someone who reacts with uncontrolled violence to someone less resistant to discipline. After the ups and downs of his training, we get to see Wander play his part in attempting ...

Soho_Black 17.01.2009 · Read Full Review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Orphanage - Robert Buettner