(Found) Ian M Banks?? Massive floating whale like creatures (behemosaurs)? Monkey like creature with stylus & tablet exploring

[Steveb37]

Hi all, thanks for the help.
Read I paperback about 2005
Thought it was a Culture novel or one of the standalone.
Planet within milky way (the great lens)?
Huge floating whale like creatures, behemosaurs, airosaurs?
Intelligent monkey like creature surveying it.
Drops his stylus down into the gas giant & follows it down (has propellers on ankle straps). Finds another dying & decaying creature.
Dies & recovered by some intelligence?, after an entire galactic revolution

 

[Pyan]

Hi, Steveb37, and welcome to the Chrons!

You're correct - it is a Culture novel: Look to Windward, no 7 in the series by Iain M Banks.

The author has a dedicated forum on this site here, which is well worth a look through.

 

[Steveb37]

pyan,

Thanks for the welcome & the information.

I was going round in circles, thanks again.

 

[Steveb37]

How do I add found to the post?

 

[Pyan]

Ah, it's a Mod function - I can do that for you.

 

[Peter V]

I was going to reply to this and say it sounds like a non Culture Novel, The Algebraist which had huge sentient gas giant dwelling creatures.

Although the ending fits, I don't remember such creatures in Look to Windward so will have to dig it out for a re-read.

 

[Steveb37]

Don't think so, read The Algebraist within the last decade & can't get a fix on what must be a sub-plot along the lines I mentioned.

Trouble is, I thought I was familiar with the Look to Windward storyline too & can't fit it in there either.

Such a great excuse to read it again though.

Main reason for looking was reading that bit too my kids as a bedtime story, it's one of the reads they never forgot. The incredible mind visuals of strange human like lifeforms mixed with gargantuan creatures, the fright of falling into an abyss. Trouble was 15ish years later they now want to read it.

I went straight to Banks but couldn't fit it in with any of the main narratives.

Cheers for adding the 'Found'

 

[Rodders]

Look to Windward was quite an underrated book in my opinion.

 

[williamjm]

Although the ending fits, I don't remember such creatures in Look to Windward so will have to dig it out for a re-read.

From what I remember the main portion of the story in Look to Windward takes place on a Culture orbital, but the aliens described here are on another planet/station where one of the plot threads partially takes place.

 

[Steveb37]

Agreed Rodders.

Spot on Peter V.

Re-reading now, Uagen Zlep has just made his dive.

 

[hitmouse]

One of my favourite Banks.