Iain Banks

[Sue]

Shocked to find out he has terminal cancer and a year to live if he's "lucky"..

Been a massive fan for years including the science fiction stuff.

Very bad news.

ETA. www.iain-banks.net

[Jah Lush]

Yes. Very sad. A great writer. Cancer is a bastard.

[Cassius]

Sue - I was just about to post about this and how very very sad I am to hear this news. One of my favourite authors, I remember getting to work with about 30 pages of Walking on Glass to read and sitting on the loo until it was finished as I couldn't bear to leave it for 8 hours before I knew the ending. I hope he manages to fit in as much into the last few months of his life as he would like.

[Vicanna]

I never met him.

[Sue]

One of the very few modern authors who I wouldn't hesitate to describe as a genius.

And respect for his humour in the face of death - he says he has married his partner to make her his widow.

Laugh or cry? Both I guess.

[MrBen]

Terrible news. He's a Queensferry man and a friend of our family. Also an ex Stirling Uni grad. Best wishes to Banksie and family.

[seemster]

Really sad to hear about this. He's sooooo young...

[El Pibe]

Loved his books since I was a teen. And comes across as such a lovely chap. The South Bank show with him is worth tracking down.

Very sad news indeed, he'll be very much missed but leaves a great legacy with his writing.

[bon3yard]

The Wasp Factory was my graduation into the world of adult fiction. Cancer is an indiscriminate bastard innit.

[????]

Sad news.

I got tired of his books if I'm honest although at first (Wasp Factory for me) it was *wow* , never did the SF stuff as that's not my bag,

I expect in reality he's marrying his partner 'cos when push comes to shove even a good socialist like Mr Banks would rather his loved ones get his hard earned (that's already been taxed) than the state.

[Sue]

Quids, even if you don't usually like sci fi you may like these.

They're both profound and funny imo.

Often completely incomprehensible, to me anyway, but I still love them.

They're completely different to his other novels.

ETA: I agree his mainstream books are a bit variable but I thought Stonemouth (Ithink its title was).was excellent..I think that was his latest book? I just read it recently.

[Jeremy]

Really sad news.

Think I preferred his non sci-fi stuff (even though I do like sci-fi), but generally liked everything of his that I read.

[Dopamine1979]

Sad news.

I just finished Stonemouth which was indeed excellent.

Any other particularly good books of his people would recommend?

[Bouncy]

I re-read and enjoyed Whit recently; would also recommend (as someone already has) Walking on Glass, and of course The Wasp Factory...

[StraferJack]

only one I'd avoid is Canal Dream - from the middle of his Imperial period but inexplicably dull and pointless

Complicty and Crow Road are the mid-period books I most enjoy. I'm a big fan of The Bridge as well. Espedair St is great for anyone who was or was involved with musicians

I also strongly recommend his non-fiction book on whiskies - Raw Spirit

[Sue]

If you've never read any, The Wasp Factory might be a good one to start with as it's brilliant, albeit very old now.

I think of the others different people will like different things.

I wasn't all that keen on Transition, another quite recent one.

I liked The Bridge.

Of his sci fi ones, I see I have kept Look To Windward and Use Of Weapons, so I must have thought those worth re-reading.

[Jeremy]

I loved The Bridge.

I read Canal Dreams many years ago, and I seem to remember quite enjoying it... but it's a strange book with a very slow first half, and a fairly violent/trashy end.

[El Pibe]

I'm with most in that Canal Dreams seemed an odd hiccup in a purple patch.

Whit seemed a to sleepwalk a little and I didn't like the Business at all, so gave up on his terrestrial stuff, though weirdly bought Stonemouth a couple of weeks ago on the back of good reviews.

I thought the reason the non sci-fi suffered was because his heart was in his other books.

Consider Phlebas is a fantastic book full stop, and the quality remained good until a curiously nihilistic Matter, which was almost a Cormac McCarthy novel without the stark beauty.

I've actually not read any Banks since but have Stonemouth ready to go on my bedside table.

[StraferJack]

Whit was sleepwalking a little but still pretty good

A Song of Stone was pretty dreadful ? I would even say it was more SF than a ?normal? book but either way, poor. And another outing for the ?ooh this lovely lass and laddie have lots of sex only to find they were on the bus, I mean brother and sister all along

The Business

Dead Air

Both struggling, but better than SoS to be sure

The Steep Approach to Garbadale I liked a lot ? a bit Crow Road-lite but enjoyable for that

Transition ? again more SF than normal possibly, and I can see why some don?t like it. I didn?t love it but I did enjoy it enough

From the early period, Walking on Glass can do one as well. Nowhere near as clever as it thinks it is

[numbers]

He used to be my favourite author, I've read every one of his books. Don't think I could read his sci-Fi culture novels now as I've gone off that genre but I'll certainly revisit the others.

Very saddened to hear this news about his illness. He's a great writer.

[Jeremy]

Steep Approach to Garbadale is (I think) the most recent one that I've read, and very enjoyable it was too.

Matter is not an easy read. Very slow pace, and the vast numbers of made-up names of people/places/things gets pretty confusing.

[Sue]

I'm mega impressed at the detail you all remember!

A week after I've finished a book I'm lucky if I remember anything about it!

The upside of that is that I can read them again without remembering the end. Not that I generally do these days. So many books, so little time!

[Jeremy]

Sue - I only read about 4 books a year, so tend to remember what I've read...

[Otta]

I've never read anything of his. Must have a go.

[Jah Lush]

I've got a few you can borrow Otta.