Greetings,

I'm hoping someone east of the Atlantic can give me a heads up on the new Iain M. Banks novel. I gather it's another sci-fi book (which is good), but I'm uncertain as to whether or not it's a Culture novel or not. Just wondering....
As an aside, for those unfamiliar, Banks has got to be one of the most inspiring and original contemporary sci-fi authors I've had the pleasure of reading.

What new one is that? Do you have a link?
I live in the same country as Banks, but have gotten kind of bored with the CUlture.

Just checked his website, and there are no new releases mentioned. If you're talking about The Algebraist, yes it's science fiction, but it's not Culture.

Yep, that's the one.
TY

his name is just iain banks when he is doing non-sci-fi books i think/.

his name is just iain banks when he is doing non-sci-fi books i think/.

The Algebraist is set in a galactic society which uses wormholes for communication. This is the solution we have adopted over at Orion's Arm (HTTP://WWW.ORIONSARM.COM[/URL), a fictional universe which has a number of characteristics which are similar to the situation described in this new book. The universe of the Culture is different again, but in OA we use many different shapes and sizes of artificial megastructure and habitat, including a large ring-like structure called the 'Banks Orbital', named after the twenty-first century writer who first pointed out how big a rotating habitat would have to be to turn once on its axis in 24 hours...

Here is a 3D model of a Banks Orbital I have made for the Celestia programme, by the way.
http://tinypic.com/18lzsx

I live in the same country as Banks, but have gotten kind of bored with the CUlture.

Shame on you guthrie ;)

Dee Cee dam naghast nee whatever..

The Culture is fundamentally boring, because the only bits that are of any interest to most readers are the bits that occur at its edges, where it interacts with other societies. Sure, being a Culture citizen would be great by most currently alive humans definition of great, but it offers litte chance for any interesting dramatic tension or human interest.

Mind you, I suppose what you really mean to suggest is that I am bored with Scotlands culture. Which I suppose i am in some ways, but not others, seeing as "culture" embraces so many people doing so many different things.

The Culture is fundamentally boring, because the only bits that are of any interest to most readers are the bits that occur at its edges

Well ain't that life in a nutshell?

I just think the books are smarter and better written than 99% of the 'space opera' style Sci Fi you find on the shelves.
Banks is Scotlands best author IMHO.
Shame Irvin Welsh got so fat and lazy. :(
Dee Cee

Well, sure, they are mostly better written and smarter, etc. (What do you think of Ken Mcleod, a friend of banks who also does SF?) but that in itself means they are for a different audience than your standard "space opera" stories.
Also, go read some Charles Stross, hes pretty good.

The Culture is fundamentally boring.
I can assure you, from my experiences roleplaying online, that post-scarcity sex will blow your fucking mind.

And I am fairly certain that you havnt personally experienced post scarcity sex yourself, since we are still in the scarcity stage. Therefore your point rests upon comparing things that form a relationship that is seen as post-scarcity sex being better because your used to normal just now sex. ONce youve grown up with post-scarcity sex, I suspect youll find it quite boring. Certainly many of Banks characters found it so interesting and so much fun that they never bothered having it.

And I am fairly certain that you havnt personally experienced post scarcity sex yourself, since we are still in the scarcity stage.

I actually explicitly stated the basis on which I made that assertion, if you care to read my post. I believe it’s the one directly above yours.

What the hell did you think I was implying? That I’ve got zero point energy figured out and I'm using it to fuel an extra-fun gentile zapping device?

I just meant that I disagree with your use of the word boring.

Well, I still dont understand what you wrote in the same way as you do, whatever it is.

By boring, I mean that nothing really important and meaningful happens, hence Banks stories are set at the edge where you can still have a meaningful life in some fashion.