Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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20 of 21 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Rise of the Machines, 13 May 2003
In this book, for the first time in Iain M's work, the people are clearly less important than the machines. But who cares when he writes such brilliant machines? Let's face it, the amount of detailed characterisation Banks puts into the principal players - mainly spaceship Minds and a few drones - hugely exceeds that which most writers of self-consciously "literary" fiction bother with for their human characters. Even the opening few pages of rather off-putting and heavily cryptic inter-ship communications turns out to be useful and entertaining a few chapters later. As always in Banks he invents an alien species who play a critical part in the plot but are probably there mainly to allow him some extremely funny scenes - the story of how this species came to be known as "the Affront" is one of his best.
The Excession itself - a powerful artefact beyond the Culture's understanding - is a bit of a McGuffin, because the main story is about how the Culture behaves when it wants something really badly.
Overall, Excession is a highly entertaining read, probably second or third place in his output - which means better than most other science fiction writers could ever manage.
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14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Sci-fi on an epic scale, 18 May 2002
The funny thing about Iain Banks' sci-fi novels is that, generally, they are better than his "straight" fiction and deal with much deeper issues. "Excession" is the pinnacle of his art; a space opera on a grand scale full of subtle plot turns and moments of breathtaking imagination. If you only read one Banks' sci-fi novel it should be this one, and if you read this one you'll want to read them all.The novel itself weaves intricate sub-plots in and out of each other as, around them, a major conflict escalates alarmingly and a mystery force comes to threaten everyone. Even if it weren't so marvellously well-written, and so full of marvellous ideas and (for once) genuinely believable science, the apparently standard basis of the book is completely subverted by what is, simply, the most ingenious ending of any sci-fi novel anywhere. Sci-fi fans should read this, and then go and check out Feersum Endjinn, The Player of Games by the same author and Neuromancer by William Gibson. Non sci-fi fans; buy this, read this, and then go and buy Feersum Endjinn, The Player of Games & Neuromancer as well.
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19 of 21 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
His finest SF work to date, 17 Jan 2005
I may be slightly biased towards Excession, as it was the first Banks SF novel i read (i have since read them all).As it was my first (and hence i had no idea what 'The Culture' was or what it was about), the first few pages completely baffled me. However, sticking with it, i was blown away. There is no doubt that the minds are the stars of the show, so to speak. I found it warming that entities of such immense power that can think millions of times quicker than humans can be petty, vindictive and deceitful (and above all, they just 'wanna have fun' (The land of IF)). The human/alien characters, taking something of a lesser role, were also excellent. Byr/Ulver/Gestra, whilst living in a perfect society, all have their own little quirks. The Affront are a creation of genuis (i loved the history of how they got their name). The Excession itself remains an enigma throughout, with only cursory details of its abilities. Banks plays his cards very close to his chest here. To sum up. The plot is tight and intricate, and the dialogue is excellent (not to mention, very witty). Above all though (and for me, this is the marker of any great book), i approached the last few pages with a feeling of impending dread, because i didnt want the novel to end.
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