New Culture novel next year

Rodders

Rodders

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Vice: 'Let's start with your latest novel. Transition has no "M" on its cover, but it contains elements that pitch it into sci-fi territory. Is the "M" gone forever to make way for a synergy of your science-fiction and straight fiction work?'

Iain Banks: 'Nope, the "M" will be back next year, plastered firmly onto the cover of the new Culture novel. That is, it will be unless I, or my publishers, suddenly decide that it really needs to be dropped. Having, with Transition, published what could certainly be seen as a science-fiction novel with no "M", it'd be even easier now to make that leap. And I'm pretty sanguine about the whole thing - it wouldn't bother me either way. As to Transition representing the future of my work, no. After this one, it's back to the Culture, improbably spacious spaceships, sarcastic drones, and exotic weaponry for the next project. I start writing the blighter in January. There's no title yet, but the plot is coming along very promisingly. Should be a cracker.'

I just picked this up on nother forum. I really hope that this is a full Culture novel as i really cannot get into the newer novels set around the culture.
 
...it's back to the Culture, improbably spacious spaceships, sarcastic drones, and exotic weaponry for the next project.
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Three cheers...:)
 
Hooooraaaay!! Thanks for the great news! And gully can relax his fingers. Dug up the source of Rodders: IAIN BANKS - Vice Magazine. Though the interview is not dated, the viewers' comments are of Dec. 09. So we can safely say - It's gonna be 2010! :)
 
In a recent guardian interview (and I've mentioned this in another Banks thread, so apologies beforehand) he said this next culture book is going to be slim in size yet elegant in style, structure and substance etc. Very different to the recent door stoppers that are Algebraist and Matter.

Personally, I think that'll be a great move. More of a piano piece than a symphony.
 
A new totally Culture Novel. I for one, can't wait. The Culture's been away for far too long.

I wonder what the broad story is?
 
So Transistion is a sci-fi novel, but not Culture related? hmmm, might have to have a read. Anyone done so?
 
yes a new Culture novel. Been pondering whether to go on a re-read marathon, but will just make do with other sci-fi for now in anticipation of this new culture novel. Hopefully more sarcastic drones are in this on ethan his previous Matter.
 
Rodders said:
A new totally Culture Novel. I for one, can't wait. The Culture's been away for far too long.

I wonder what the broad story is?
Click to expand...


Hopefully it is a galxy conusuming war, or some sort of SC operative based novel. Come to think of it what culture novel are not about those two things?

I would not mind reading about civilisations on a parrallel with the Culture a.k.a High Level Involveds.
 
Hey guys, new user here and i had just one question. Ive just finished reading Consider Phlebas and was wondering, can u read all the Culture books as one book in a series or seperatly? Sorry for my english and spelling, im from Sweden. :)

Ps: I would love to get some tips on the same category to read next too.
 
The Culture books are not a series as such, so you should be able to read them in any order that you like. I would recommend the Player of Games (my personal favourite :) ) and the use of Weapons.

Oh, and welcome to the boards. You'll love it here.
 
Well, according to our Iain at Eastercon its to be called Surface Detail. The book concentrates on a facet of the Culture only skimmed over in earlier books, namely, their constructed afterlife. All those recorded dead people get their secular, virtual-world heaven of course. When you think about it, its probably far more populous than the actual Culture.

And here's where it gets real clever: all the other civilizations have afterlifes, too, and some bright spark had the idea of linking up all these alien Elysiums in an interweeb kind of way! However, some 'Involved' powers insist on creating virtual hells as well, for those of their species who are deemed sinners.

Needless to say, the Culture tend to frown on that kind of thing. Sounds like the (ultimate?) job for Special Circumstances.

The main character is female and deceased. Oh, and hungry for revenge. That's all that I can recall of what Mr Banks said about it. I'm sure if you search around there'll be more details elsewhere.

Sounds astounding though, doesn't it?
 
One has to wonder, given J-WO's new information on the novel's setting, how Banks has managed to restrict it to a "slim in size" volume.
 
Thanks for the update, J-WO. It sounds fantastic! Even the title is cool, only Banks can come up with that. I guess in this book the nasty bits (guaranteed in every Banks' book) will lay in the 'virtual hells'. ;)

Any info about publishing date?
 
Ursa- Er, yep, that 'slim volume' thing... not so sure, now. He said that's what he wanted to do--bear (geddit?) in mind that interview was conducted before he set off on his first draft. Like children, novels never grow up the way you planned them to do.

Mind you, it could be slim. Remember Feersum Endjinn's Tardis-like qualities?

Allegra- February 2011 in UK. Which came as a bit of a surprise to Iain, apparently. He found out from reading the Banksonian.

Surface Detail (which is, I agree, a top name for a Culture novel) can already be pre-ordered from Amazon. Before it even exists! What a glorious age we live in! Apart from not having virtual afterlifes, of course. That bit sucks.
 
According to Amazon it's 400 pages, not exactly slim comparing with other Culture books. The Culture books format is also larger than, say, Discworld or Dresden Files. And yes, we are in a glorious age - a couple of clicks and more intriguing details of Surface Detail surfaced:

It starts with a young woman being murdered. Miraculously, a secret deal means she lives again within the Culture. Now, she vows to return and kill her own murderer. Meanwhile, a war in heaven is brewing. Or rather a war between the Heavens. Heavens are the network of uploaded consciousnesses - a cyber life after death. But where there are Heavens, Hells soon follow. Wars between these realms are formal digital affairs, but now there are rumors of secret factories building warships and all signs point to the factions of the long-dead and digitized. One man holds the key to making this war manifest in the Real. And a young woman wants her revenge on him.
Click to expand...
- http://io9.com/5510972/iain-m-banks-has-finished-his-new-culture-novel-surface-detail. Yummy!
 
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