Against a Dark Background - Iain M. Banks

The title says it all really, “Against a Dark Background” – you can tell this isn’t going to be a happy tale. Welcome to Golter, an Earth-like planet approaching its decamillennial celebrations (that’s 10,000 years to you and me). The inhabitants of Golter have spread out throughout their solar system, colonising and terraforming wherever possible along the way, although they have not managed to make the trip to any other solar systems for the simple reason that their star is an orphan wandering on its own private route in the otherwise dead space between galaxies. Golter itself is a splintered society, its political map a ...  Read the complete review

It's Ian M Banks Easy to understand why this, but why now? Well, This would make the third copy of AaDB I've bought. Two given as birthday or Christmas presents previously. In a way I love it to bits; in another way it worries me deeply. On any cold- blooded assessment, Banks as a science fiction writer of the larger shores is not as scary as the aggressive cornering of all available cosmic wierdness of Larry Niven; Banks's stories are large and loose, and there's always room for a parallel universe or two. Despite the skill- and he has some stunning imagery- you get the feeling that he is something of an E.E. "Doc' Smith for the ...  Read the complete review

As the title suggests this is a dark novel. Set in a futuristic universe, not the Culture of Banks' other novels, the story twists and turns with Banks' usual style. As you would expect this is written very well and is a joy to read but it doesn't flow as well as some of his other books, there are some disjointed events that although tied together cleverly in the plot are very separate in a literary sense. Perhaps this is deliberate and sets the tone of this half of the novel but for me it wasn't quite right. Shannon, the story's reluctant conscious heroine is, or was, the leader of a group of biologically linked warriors now separated and ...  Read the complete review

A very strange tale of a band of people plagued by yet another even stranger person intent on their demise. A great book with extreamly vibrant descriptions and in depth events. As each person is introduced so to is there backgrounds and personalities. This book has many twists and turns and keeps you thinking about just what is going to happen next and sometimes what does happen is extreamly bizarre to say the very least!! By the time you get to the end a very twisted tale of why it is all happening to them is revealed. ...  Read the complete review