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Comment by nsns | Hacker News Reader

Here's a strong recommendation to anyone who hasn't read yet The Bridge by Banks, to go and read that wonderful novel. Not to mention his classic and highly imaginative Sci-fi novels: The Player of Games, Feersum Endjinn, Use of Weapons, Excession...

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Absolutely.

I'd recommend reading the Culture series (3 of the above mentioned books are part of it) in order if possible [0], they all have something to offer.

By the way, I'd recommend against reading any reviews for his books prior, they're easily spoiled.

0: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Culture_series

Yes. I'd also recommend Inversions only after you've read some of the others - and start with Consider Phelbas (which for non-readers, is told from the perspective of a non-Culture citizen).

Strictly speaking, so is most of Use of Weapons and The Hydrogen Sonata, as well as significant portions of Look to Windward, Matter, and Surface Detail.

In fact, the more I think about it, the more I'm realizing that one of his more common means of telling us about the Culture was through the eyes of non-Culture citizens.

You're right - but Phelbus stands out to me because you get almost no internal culture perspective - you are almost entirely embedded with a person who does not simply dislike the culture, but is actively working towards its destruction. Its a bold choice given the Culture was (in Banks' own words) the closest thing to a Utopian ideal.

> Consider Phelbas

"Consider Phlebas" has its merits, especially the outsider's POV of the Culture. But I'm part of the faction that feels The Player of Games is a better introduction, as it's more polished and shows off the Culture itself more.

Hmm - I like TPOG, but I can't say I enjoyed it or had it give me as much perspective on the Culture as Phlebas did - but I know its a favorite for a lot of people. Partially because I was more interested in the Changer as a character than the gameplayer.

On the non-science fiction side, The Wasp Factory is also great, as is Crow Road and Complicity (if you want something closer to a crime thriller).

The Crow Road is my favourite book. It might speak more to Scots – I don't know – but it's wonderful.

I also found "The Business" a very good book, that should be good for people starting to read him.

That was the one novel I could not stand of his - I almost thought it was written as a parody.

Interesting. I loved it too. Sadly, I've just trudged through Stonemouth and found it deadly dull.

...while I found Stonemouth quite compelling and stayed up way too late reading it more than one night.

I am a huge Banks fan, but I really didn't enjoy The Wasp Factory.

I think the Wasp Factory, although obviously well written, was mostly functional, it got Banks the recognition he deserved, and initiated his literary career. He did write other novels before it, which only got published afterwards, and at least during his first creative decade, was highly creative and very ambitious (Against A Dark Background, The Crow Road, etc. all very ambitious works).

IMHO his non-scifi, is good.

The Wasp Factory is pure genius.

Got a recommendation of a novel of his that is available in audiobook format? :)

I think almost all of his books are available as audiobooks.

http://www.audible.com/search/ref=sr_ab_1_1_3?searchAuthor=I...

I'd start off with Use of Weapons or the Player of Games

Thanks man, I'll check them out.

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