Welcome to an unofficial page intended to introduce you to the science-fiction writing of Iain M. Banks.
About Iain M. Banks
Iain Banks was born in Scotland in 1954 and came to widespread and controversial public notice with the publication of his first novel, The Wasp Factory, in 1984. Consider Phlebas, his first science-fiction novel, was published, as are all his science-fiction books, under the name Iain M. Banks in 1987. He has since gained enormous popular and critical acclaim and in 1993 he was acknowledged as one of the Best of Young British Writers. He lives in Fife, Scotland.
About "The Culture"
"The Culture" is Iain's vision for humanity in the far future - a complex expression of a mixture of social, cultural and moral philosophies, forming the backdrop for much of his science-fiction writing. All kinds of almost miraculous developments are taken very much for granted:
* intergalactic space-travel, the colonisation of distant systems and the construction of vast space-borne habitats
* advanced medicine that makes possible mending, prolonging, re-vitalising or simply changing one's body to suit individual preferences (like changing sex for a few years, or replacing a damaged head)
* widespread use of the almost magical force field in everything from propulsion of space vehicles down to keeping a drinking glass suspended handily within reach
* machines with sentience - the achievement of free thought - as demonstrated by the Minds that control and regulate space vehicles and habitations, and the robotic characters that are the constant companions, servants and mentors of both human and other biological life forms
That's only my assessment, though. To get the real story behind the Culture, read "A Few Notes on the Culture" by the man himself, courtesy of www.phlebas.com.
Consider Phlebas (1987)
Iain M. Banks' first science-fiction novel. Set against the colossal Culture-Idiran war, a fugitive Mind, hidden in the depths of a labyrinthine dead world, is sought by both sides. A Changer called Horza and an unlikely band of mercenaries are also keen to track it down, risking their own lives in the process.
The Player of Games (1988)
Jernat Gurgeh is a master of board games, card games, strategy games and other types of game so alien and complex in origin as to almost defy classification. His skills and reserves of concentration and will to win are stretched to their limits when, somewhat blackmailed into doing so by a mischievous machine, he journeys to a distant galaxy to take part in a game almost as important, and challenging, as life itself.
Use of Weapons (1990)
Special Circumstances agent Cheradenine Zakalwe is manoevred by his mentor Diziet Sma into taking over control of a war he's destined to lose, all the time dogged by traumatic childhood memories of his family and the incident that haunts him with memories of The Chairmaker.
Incidentally, Dizzy Sma and her drone Skaffen-Amtiskaw also appear in their own story which gives its name to The State of the Art.
The State of the Art (1991)
A collection of short stories, some Culture, others very definitely not; all thought-provoking and absorbing.
Against a Dark Background (1993)
His first non-Culture sci-fi book. Sharrow, former leader of a team of mercenaries, fights alongside her old comrades to recover a missing sentient super-weapon, whilst trying to avoid the Husz cult who, as well as also wishing to possess the gun, believe her to be the final barrier between them and their ultimate spiritual enlightenment.
Feersum Endjinn (1994)
It is the Encroachment, and old Earth is about to pass through a dust cloud that will blot out the dying sun. The King's war against the clan Engineers, The Count Sessine's final life, Gadfium's message from the Plain of Sliding Stones, the crypt's messenger Asura and Bascule the Teller's search for an ant are all played out in the face of imminent darkness, unless an escape from the Encroachment can be found.
Excession (1996)
A mysterious and seemingly omnipotent sphere reappears after a millennium near an ancient star, and all manner of ships, species and individuals find themselves drawn together, not always willingly or benignly, by a mystery that might just threaten every one of them. The one person who may know more is aboard a Culture vessel that's not about to allow the others to take her.
Inversions (1998)
A non-Culture novel; two separate stories, set concurrently on the same medieval-esque world, intertwine around common themes of love, secrecy and jealousy. She's the enigmatic doctor to a King, he's bodyguard to a regicidal military leader. Both have enemies and secrets and a love of whom neither can speak.
Look To Windward (2000)
Ziller, a Chelgrian composer in self-imposed exile aboard the orbital Masaq', learns of the impending visit of an emissary from Chel and fears that he is about to be repatriated. However, the emissary has a further, secret purpose to his mission rooted in an ancient conflict that led to the destruction of two suns, whose last rays of light are only now becoming visible to the inhabitants of Masaq' and the hub Mind, which itself has a secret past.
The Algebraist (2004)
When Seer Fassin Taak of Sept Bentrabal of Eglantine finds himself unwittingly co-opted into the Mercatorial military, his experience with the ancient gas-dwelling Dwellers is put to use finding information that many believe doesn't exist and that others would kill for. His search takes him both to unimaginably distant systems and very close to home indeed.
Latest News
[3.11.04] Following a break from sci-fi writing, the new Culture book "The Algebraist" is out on 4 October 2004.
[6.11.00] After the success of Look To Windward, don't expect a new sci-fi novel in 2001 (of all years!). Don't panic (no pun intended, but welcome nonetheless) - Iain's just having a break and will be back...
[15.8.00] Look To Windward, the new Culture novel, is out now in the UK in hardback from Orbit Books. The title comes from the same T. S. Eliot quote (from "The Waste Land" IV) that gave us the phrase "Consider Phlebas", the title of the very first Culture novel some 13 years ago.
[20.7.99] The next sci-fi book is scheduled for publication in late May or early June 2000, but at the time of writing no plot or subject matter have been finalised.
[20.7.99] The people who made the movie The Fifth Element are considering a big-screen adaptation of The Player of Games, although no firm news is currently available.
[18.6.99] The latest SF book, Inversions, published in 1998, is out now in both paperback and hardback through Orbit Books.
How To Contact Iain M. Banks
Write to him via his publishers;
Iain Banks
c/o Publicity Department
Time Warner Books UK
Brettenham House
Lancaster Place
London WC2E 7EN
Email: mail@iainbanks.net
Iain also has an official website that covers his sci-fi and other writing. Visit it at www.iainbanks.net
There are in fact quite a few sites on the Web about Iain, such as reprints of interviews and articles about the author, the culture and other aspects of the worlds and races he's created, not to mention plenty of input from fans of his work. Much good stuff can be found at www.phlebus.com and members.nbci.com/_XMCM/TheCulture, to name but two. Check them out.
Thanks for looking at my contribution, and I hope you get as much pleasure from reading the challenging but rewarding books of Iain M. Banks as I have.
Since writing this, another wonderful Culture novel called
Matter was published in 2008.
