Iain [M] Banks

leffeboy – I know what you mean. I think I struggled through at most 1/3 properly, then skimmed. Didn’t click at all. Really not one I’d recommend..

The Crow Road / Espedair Street would be definitely worth a read. I bought Espedair Street (I think it had just come out) to read on the train after attending my uncle’s funeral, not feeling particularly upbeat but had me laughing out loud within a handful of pages..

He did have his ups and downs… Crow Road, Espedair Street, Use of Weapons, Consider Phlebease (where I came in), Player of Games, probably Excession and Against a Dark Background, are highs. Complicity if you can stand the grim, Whit if you want a lighter touch. But Canal Dreams and Dead Air are just pretty bad IMO and Garbadale is more or less Crow Road 2: This Time It’s Less Good. Walking on Glass and the Bridge divide opinion, I didn’t like either much but then I didn’t like Lanark at all either.

I just realised I’ve missed some… To Amazon!

bigjim – Member

others have interpreted that character in a cockney accent

Aye, something about “bascule thi rascule” just said mockney geezer to me.

Just watched the Kirsty Wark documentary on BBC 2 Scotland. What an utter diamond of a man . A brilliant interview and a top job as usual by Kirsty Wark , It was funny but very moving towards the end and highlights what a loss he will be.

Heathen!

Just watched the BBC Scotland interview. The passages of the books that were read highlight what a loss it is.

I liked his suggestion that the whole cancer story was a ploy to sell more books.

I seemed to get something in my eye towards the end.

‘The Testament Of Gideon Mack’ by James Robertson is also another decent read for anyone that’s not read It.

Try again. I think it’s worth it. Then read Surface Detail. Banks believed in the possibility of redemption.

I’ve tried re-reading Player Of Games three or four times. He doesn’t get to be any less of a scumbag with no redeeming qualities, which I just can’t get past.
I’ve read all of the Culture books three or four times, except for Surface Detail, which is too new to re-read as yet.

Why do you say he’s a scumbag? He’s pretty disconnected and self-absorbed for most of the novel, is the worst I could say about him… But it’s not a character driven story.

I’ve tried re-reading Player Of Games three or four times

I thought you were talking about Use of Weapons. Hence my comment about Surface Detail

He’s quite self-centred and naive but I wouldn’t call him a scumbag. Anyway that’s how the Culture made him, a games playing machine. 🙂

I’ve tried re-reading Player Of Games three or four times. He doesn’t get to be any less of a scumbag with no redeeming qualities, which I just can’t get past.

Gurgegh is one of my favourite IMB characters – he cheats & he lies, but ultimately he accepts his fate, for the good of the Culture. 😀

To me, it’s the simplest of the Culture novels and I like it’s lack of ambiguity – it’s the one I always recommend to people after Consider Phlebas.