against a dark background

[radu123]

good lord, what a sludge heap this book was. and a horribly long and bloated one at that, i only finished it due to sheer stubborness.

does anyone have something good to say about this novel? was there even a point to the story? to me it just seemed like an arbitrary series of events and adventures that might as well have been conceived by banks closing his eyes and spinning a plot wheel of some sort

EDIT: oh, i did quite enjoy the Lazy Guns, the concept of a weapon with a sense of humour, amongst their other surreal properties, was quite imaginative.

 

[Vertigo]

A little harsh IMO though I didn't find it one of my favourites. Quite dark for Banks (at least for his SF stuff) and a little more surreal than his usual offerings. I never did quite wrap my head sround the Solipsists philosophy. However I do enjoy Bank's more weird imaginings and this certainly had plenty of them. I guess it just depends on whether you like his style - not for everyone.

Bottom line I liked the book but not his best.

 

[Dave]

I hate to be the odd one out, but I liked it. It reminded me of a 'Traveller' RPG. And the 'Lazy Gun' has also been mentioned; how can you not like that. It has been a while since I read it, but I've certainly read much worse books.

 

[iansales]

It's probably my favourite Iain M Banks novel.

 

[radu123]

ok sure, care to elaborate as to why?

 

[J-WO]

Last Eastercon, Ken Macleod told a story about Iain Banks coming around his house when Ken was putting up an extension with some builders. Sat down with a cup of coffee, Iain went on to tell his Pal about an idea for a novel that would be a fantasy quest in SF clothing. He gave every plot point and detail of this story that, unbeknown to either of them, would later be published as Against a Dark Background.

After Banks left, one of the builder's turned to Macleod and said 'You've got some f*ckin' weird mates, Pal.'

 

[iansales]

I wrote about Against A Dark Background here.

 

[Allegra]

I hate to be the odd one out, but I liked it.

Evidently you are not the odd one.

I also liked the book very much. I agree with what Iansales said in his review: "it's a fun book." It's dark and tragic, but fun. Banks' humour shines through. There are some powerful poetic prose especially the later part of Sharrow and her pals' journey towards the tower, like some Tchaikovsky's crescendos.

It's definitely in my re-read list.

 

[Tillane]

I really like it, too. Sure, the plot is on the simple side (and, in a way, a re-tread of Consider Phlebas), but it's Banks' storytelling, wit and characterisation that - as always - keeps me interested. I love the idea of the Lazy Gun (typical Banks stuff, that), and Sharrow is still one of my favourite SF characters.

So, yeah. Not up to the standard of Use of Weapons or Player of Games, but very entertaining nonetheless.

 

[Vertigo]

I'd go along with that Tillane, particularly about the plot and storytelling; never really pinned that down before but you are right the plot is essentially a pretty simple fantasy style quest but what is really important is the way Banks tells the story. He does make it fun!

Also the characters; obviously Sharrow and the Lazy Gun (wonderful concept) and I also particularly liked Feril, the android with a taste for "adventure".

However I do think the story did get a little carried away with some of its more convoluted contortions, it felt like you were working your way through the clues in a fantasy adventure game (deliberate I think). But a good book for all that. In fairness to Radu's original point I think this book is probably more subject to personal taste than many Banks books. In that way, similar to Feersum Endjinn which is certainly not to everyone's tastes even if they generally like Banks.

 

[J-WO]

In fairness to Radu's original point I think this book is probably more subject to personal taste than many Banks books. In that way, similar to Feersum Endjinn which is certainly not to everyone's tastes even if they generally like Banks.

Is it fair to say Banks' standalone SF are the biggest opinion dividers here on the Chrons (and generally)? Just about every one of them seems to be an attempt to push the envelope, whether in plot, prose or whatever.

 

[Rodders]

I must admit that i really struggled with this and didn't finish it. (That said, i haven't been able to get into any of Banks' non Culture novels.)

 

[Vertigo]

Is it fair to say Banks' standalone SF are the biggest opinion dividers here on the Chrons (and generally)? Just about every one of them seems to be an attempt to push the envelope, whether in plot, prose or whatever.

I think that probably is true; certainly all three of Against a Dark Background, Feersum Endjinn and The Algebraist do seem to generate a lot of debate amongst Banks fans - I happen to like all three especially the latter two. Then there is Transition, is that SF or not? However there also seems to be considerable debate about Excession and Look To Windward. I guess He likes to push things a little but his Culture framework puts certain boundaries on that whereas outside the Culture there are no limits .

I actually find it interesting that Banks seems to generate more divided opinions amongst his fans than most authors I know.

 

[clovis-man]

I guess He likes to push things a little but his Culture framework puts certain boundaries on that whereas outside the Culture there are no limits .

His SF tales which fall outside the Culture framework are at once more challenging and more difficult. Having said that, I haven't read one that failed to keep me interested and entertained. Certainly Against A Dark Background is no exception.

 

[J-WO]

I actually find it interesting that Banks seems to generate more divided opinions amongst his fans than most authors I know.

And that's gotta be a good sign. At least, I think it makes for an author who can keep relevant longer than most.

 

[Vertigo]

JWO and Clovis: I do agree, and whilst I love the Culture stories I do look forward to his non-culture books as I know they are likely to be something very different and, as with Clovis, I have enjoyed all of them. In fact the only Banks I wasn't too keen on was probably Inversions which I did find disappointing and frustrating. It seemed to be very slow to bring the two plots together and I suspect I was disappointed as I was (naturally enough) expecting SF and really got fantasy.

 

[iansales]

I thought The Algebraist was the most disappointing of his "M" novels (althuogh I'm including Transition).

 

[Vertigo]

I thought The Algebraist was the most disappointing of his "M" novels (althuogh I'm including Transition).

Ah there you go you see; I loved The Algebraist. Just shows how subjective this business can be.

 

[Dave]

Ah there you go you see; I loved The Algebraist. Just shows how subjective this business can be.

And I didn't, so there you go. I think your point is proven.

I've read quite a few Iain Banks novels too, and they are also fairly divergent. Except for the The Steep Approach to Garbadale which I thought was much too like The Crow Road. Except The Crow Road has that great opening line.

 

[J-WO]

Yep, I remember reading it the summer grandmother exploded.