Iain Banks. "Transition".

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Transition is Iain Banks' new novel. Although it's not ful on M. Banks SF, there is supposed to be quite a large SF Element. Anyone game?
 
Wiki claims that Transition will be released in the US with the author named as Iain M. Banks.

(Perhaps there's a clue as to the nature of this novel in its title.)
 
Talking of the M's. I just have not been able to get into Feersum enjinn or Against a Dark Background. I'm afraid i'm rather biased towards the Culture novels.
 
I found Feersum Endjinn a bit difficult too - I actually got more out of it on a re-read. Struggled a little on the first read, but really enjoyed it second time round.

I had no such trouble with the other, though, I must confess. I wouldn't rank it with my favourite Culture novels but I give it a "middle", so to speak.

One thing I must say about Banks, he has good re-read value.
 
The Procrastinator said:
I haven't tried any of his "non M." books so if this one has SF elements sounds good to me.
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While they are not rayguns and spaceships, some of them still have SF elements (The Bridge is a little like Life On Mars/Ashes to Ashes) or they, at the very least, have some surreal elements (The Wasp Factory, Whit) which demand a suspension of disbelief, and State of the Art contains a Culture story, though it is one set on present day Earth.
 
Yes, i've always had troubnle with suspension of belief when the earth is involved in stories like that. Probably due to flashbacks from the Original Battlestar Galactica series where they find earth. Euggh.
 
gully_foyle said:
I would say they both paint their universes with broad brush strokes. But you can tell which one is the english/philosophy major and which one is the scientist.
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You are absolutely right! And that's the reason I've read four Banks almost in a roll (been dying to read the others unfortunately my mind and time are currently being hijacked by something entirely different) but still only half way through Reynolds' Prefect. Not that it's a bad book - it's a product of a different type of brain that doesn't click so well with mine, no matter how brilliant it is.

I'm very much looking forward to Transition paperback. That'll be next summer, soon after Xmas which is just around the corner. ;)
 
Hello everything, I'm a new Chron forumer here!

Just wanted to say that in the UK this is published as an "Iain Banks" not and "M". Just got a copy from my local library so I'll get back on sometime soon and post my thoughts too.

Dave said:
While they are not rayguns and spaceships, some of them still have SF elements (The Bridge is a little like Life On Mars/Ashes to Ashes) or they, at the very least, have some surreal elements (The Wasp Factory, Whit) which demand a suspension of disbelief, and State of the Art contains a Culture story, though it is one set on present day Earth.
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Just a quick couple of things, Dave:
- State of the Art is part of the Culture series (all of the stories are set in the Culture universe) and is published as an "M"
- I would say that the most sci-fi of the "non-M" books would be Walking on Glass

Correcting things when you're a newbie is fun!
 
I think Dave was referring to the collection State of the Art, rather than the novella (novelette?) of the same name.
 
iansales said:
I think Dave was referring to the collection State of the Art, rather than the novella (novelette?) of the same name.
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Yes, I was referring to the collection rather than the novelette, though looking at the collection again, it IS published as an "M" and there IS definitely one other 'Culture' story (A Gift from the Culture), and some that may or may not be, and that would be open to debate. I'd certainly have to disagree with you that "all of the stories are set in the Culture universe" as several are most certainly not (Piece).

I haven't read Walking on Glass and I'm in need of something to read.
 
Just finished Transition. An atypical Banks SF story. More in common with Use of Weapons than any other Banks tale, but only because of its unrelenting grittiness and salacious sidelights. A worthwhile read. I'll say no more to avoid spoilers, but only add that in the "C" universe, the "Concern" bears little resemblance to either the "Culture" or the "Company" (Kage Baker).
 
clovis-man said:
Just finished Transition. An atypical Banks SF story. More in common with Use of Weapons than any other Banks tale, but only because of its unrelenting grittiness and salacious sidelights. A worthwhile read. I'll say no more to avoid spoilers, but only add that in the "C" universe, the "Concern" bears little resemblance to either the "Culture" or the "Company" (Kage Baker).
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But didn't you think more than a passing similarity with Special Circumstances (which has a C in it)?
 
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