Also, it's like Banks was both reinstating and redefining this universe, what with all the infodumps told just this bit different from beforetimes (terms such as "Dataverse" are new, I think, and a bit out of place; The Culture is consistently diminished, quantitatively at least; etc.).

And I don't think Matter will merit as much re-reading as his other books. The main characters' quest is rather a mechanical thing to be that interested into, and it lasts nearly 75% of the book. That it turns into a SF doomsday technothriller so near the end… well, it is exciting, and one feels the rush, but one feels it not being that original except for the technobabble involved.

I don't know: is this the depressing one?

fistrodisco

Firstly, great review - I'm 2rds of the way through Matter, and even though I'm nowhere near the payoff/money-shot/etc, the review was great - accurate, vibrant and enthusiastic. Thank you very much.

2ndly, Space Opera is a great title but I think it only really applies to Consider Pleabas. Most of the other Culture novels are much more focused. Yes, sometimes (as in the one about the black body sphere - sorry I'm a bit inebriated right now) the scale spans star systems, but the ideas and situations are always very circumscribed.

Anyway, Matter is great, but rather long. If you want to get a handle on the flavour of the Culture universe then I think (after the histrionics of Consider Pleabas which introduces it all - Obitrals!!!) The Player of Games is a masterpiece. The State of the Art is great (SHORT stories), and the black body sphere encroaching from another dimension ( Excission! Finally! I think...) is the piece de resistance...!

BTW: Reynolds is great, but rough by comparison (imho, etc)

No601_Swallow

@icanseeforever:

Somewhere in the middle on this. I think it was good, a bit rushed in the end, strong characters with the exception that Anaplian really strained credibility. I generally love Banks, but I would say this book is just an average Culture novel. Maybe not even average if you liked Feersum (I did.)

I think Reynolds may be passing him by a bit. (though nothing in Reynolds' oeuvre compares to Consider Phlebas or AADB).

byproxy

icanseeforever

I've read SF for nearly 50 years now (vitually all the greatest stuff from the beginning till the 80's), and there is no one IMHO who comes close to Banks in sheer talent, intellectual brilliance, and ability to be profound, humorous, and topical simultaneously. His Culture novels are the easily the greatest achievement in "Space Opera." They make most other's attempts look amateurish by comparison.

bjarmson

Ophiuchi Hotline, his short stories. Persistance of Vision was a very good collection. I liked Titan / Wizard / Demon, but they weren't especially focussed.
-Kle.

Klebert L. Hall

what would you say varleys best was?

nutbastard

I dont think we could get any more polarized if you do!

Space Opera... not so much. IMO Golden Globe and Steel Beach are the only varley worth reading. Titan trilogy was pure dreck! Red thunder - Drivel! And you are the first person i've ever encountered who didn't like enders game. to each there own, i guess, but above all, when im reading a book, i want to be stimulated and entertained - i dont give two wet farts about "themes".

Zodiac and Cyptonomicon were also very good, although from an entertainment standpoint, Zodiac takes the cake. Diamond Age, not bad, not great.

Space opera... sort of. I cannot, absolutely cannot stand unexplained "magical" technologies being used as plot devices. Is this going to be a "Tek Jenson" adventure?

For the record, i threw neuromancer across the room 40 pages in for being absolutely way too much like the movie "Hackers" in its depiction of "Hacking".

At least stephenson knows his way around the CLI...

nutbastard

Klebert L. Hall

I predict it will be better than them, and I like them well enough.

Snow Crash was uneven, and annoyed me by having a bunch of poor-versimilituse moments. It was good, but not his best.

Ender's Game was good, but facile - sort of like golden-age Asimov. Kind of a sixth-grade book.

Golden Globe was also good, but not Varley's best. I think Banks is the equal of Varley's best, and better than Neal Stephenson. O.S. Card isn't really in a league with either of them, though he's done some good work.

Ymmv, of course.
-Kle.

Klebert L. Hall

Annalee Newitz

Annalee - would you say it was ok to read this if you haven't read any of the other Culture novels yet? After all of the glowing reviews I'd like to dip my toes into some Banks.

dijou

antipaganda

lightninglouie

Yay!

silwenae

Annalee Newitz

BLASPHEMER!

(marks another black mark on Analee's record)

Plague

Annalee Newitz

Jeff-Minor

Jeff-Minor

Annalee Newitz

Jeff-Minor

But you better be right. This book had better put snow crash, golden globe, and enders game all to shame to live up to this review.

nutbastard

Annalee Newitz

lillian27

Still, it would be an awesome place to live, and Banks is extraordinarily good.
-Kle.

Klebert L. Hall

i LOVE him.

Woodwater

If I don't have it by tomorrow, I'm holding YOU accountable.

braak

generalisimo tom

Annalee Newitz

googlefritz

WHAT IS THIS SHIT?

I'm going to go to my tent and sulk.

braak