No Gravitas Allowed -- The Iain [M.] Banks thread

The Something Awful Forums > The Finer Arts > The Book Barn > No Gravitas Allowed -- The Iain [M.] Banks thread

Runcible Cat: May 28, 2007; Ignoring this post

flamingmuse posted:

As for his Non-M stuff, I read the Wasp Factory which is still really bad rear end. I started Song of Stone but it just didn't seem to be going anywhere, and I read another one ofthe Non-M books, but I'm not sure which one it was. All I remember is a scene where a girl is talking to her boyfriend while leaning out a window as another man screws her.

Walking on Glass. I really love Walking on Glass, but mainly for the fantasy/far-future/almost-Borgesian elements - the present-day bits aren't particularly interesting, though the way all the threads tie together at the end makes me happy. The early non-Ms are the best ones, definitely - he dropped off sharply after Whit. Song of Stone and The Business both kind of bored me, so I haven't even got round to Dead Air yet.

And poo poo, I haven't got Matter yet; what's wrong with me?

# ¿ Feb 9, 2009 22:25

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# ¿ May 3, 2024 00:14

Runcible Cat: May 28, 2007; Ignoring this post

Entropic posted:

Other favourites:

The Psychopath-class ROU Frank Exchange Of Views
The GCU Poke It With A Stick
The GCU You Would If You Really Loved Me
The GOU _{_{_{I Said I've Got A Big Stick}}}
The GSV What Are The Civilian Applications?

Some friends and I had a "What would you call yourself if you were a Culture ship?" drunken conversation years ago, and I'm still proud of declaring myself the Adequately Explained By Stupidity.

# ¿ Feb 28, 2009 23:53

Runcible Cat: May 28, 2007; Ignoring this post

narfanator posted:

I am going to remember this, and one day, post the results.

Also, that is an amazing name for a Culture Ship, although may be more fitting for an orbital with a truly strange design.

The only other one I can remember was the GOU Pity The Fool, so yeah, I'd love to see what other people come up with.

And no, I'm definitely a GCU. The full quote is: "Never attribute to malice that which can be adequately explained by stupidity."

# ¿ Mar 1, 2009 14:14

Runcible Cat: May 28, 2007; Ignoring this post

Pompous Rhombus posted:

Maybe I'm a bit dense, but where does the title of Consider Phlebas come from? I just finished the book and aside from noting it was also the apparently out-of-nowhere title of the brief chapter where Horza died towards the end I'm a little puzzled.

Weirdly, just asked and answered on another thread: http://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?noseen=0&threadid=3149277&pagenumber=1#post361942162

# ¿ Jun 12, 2009 22:09

Runcible Cat: May 28, 2007; Ignoring this post

syphon posted:

Are all 'M' books Culture novels? All of the ones I've read so far are, but maybe I'm just selectively buying Culture books.

The M books are his sf-genre ones (mostly but not all Culture-set, as already said), the non-Ms are the more literary ones (though still with occasional sf peeking through in some of them.)

# ¿ Jun 22, 2009 15:06

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