To see less ads Register or Login ----- Daily Fantasy Sports games 18+

Iain Banks

A forum for discussion on the 'finer' things in life.
Post Reply
User avatar
Zimmerman
FISO Jedi Knight
Posts: 30211
Joined: 13 Oct 2005, 18:42
Location: having a picnic at the Bear Mountain

Iain Banks

Post by Zimmerman »

Sadly wont be with us much longer... Got very advanced cancer and not expecting to last a year :cry:

http://m.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-22015175" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

It was probably The Wasp Factory that turned me on to reading.
I was mentally scarred by the classics at school (and also being too cool to enjoy reading). But reading WF opened my eyes that there was more to books than Pride and Prejudice and David Copperfield.

Wasp Factory, Complicity and Crow Road still three of my all time favourite books.

User avatar
unc.si.
FISO Knight
Posts: 11775
Joined: 11 Oct 2010, 14:08
Location: Off to buy Loctite
FS Record: 'Loser' by Beck

Re: Iain Banks

Post by unc.si. »

Sad news. Great writer. Loved the Iain M Banks stuff as well, even though I'm not really into sci-fi.

User avatar
jimmy ching
Dumbledore
Posts: 9549
Joined: 13 Oct 2005, 18:28

Re: Iain Banks

Post by jimmy ching »

A sad loss. :cry:

User avatar
unc.si.
FISO Knight
Posts: 11775
Joined: 11 Oct 2010, 14:08
Location: Off to buy Loctite
FS Record: 'Loser' by Beck

Re: Iain Banks

Post by unc.si. »

Still time for him to enjoy a few glasses of Single Malt yet.

I do like his proposal: 'Will you do me the honour of becoming my widow?"

User avatar
murf
FISO Viscount
Posts: 109450
Joined: 13 Oct 2005, 18:28
Location: here
FS Record: Once led TFF. Very briefly.
Contact:

Re: Iain Banks

Post by murf »

Loved The Wasp Factory and a couple of other including his one on searching for the great whisky - as good a 'travel' book as you will get. A couple of his other books were just plain annoying/rubbish so I gave up on him. Haven't read any of the sci-fi stuff.

User avatar
Takeshi Kovacs
Grumpy Old Man
Posts: 2685
Joined: 13 Oct 2005, 18:35

Re: Iain Banks

Post by Takeshi Kovacs »

RIP

User avatar
Spencer4
FISO Jedi Knight
Posts: 37046
Joined: 13 Oct 2005, 18:32
Location: "Spencer4 is correct "
FS Record: 2008/9 FPL 172nd, 2007/8 TFF 6th, Vid's Predictions winner 2014/5, Fiso TFF Hot shots champ 2015/6, murfs Egg chasers winner 2017 & 2024, winner PB's last man standing golf comp 2018

Re: Iain Banks

Post by Spencer4 »

I may re-read The Crow Road in his honour.

User avatar
murf
FISO Viscount
Posts: 109450
Joined: 13 Oct 2005, 18:28
Location: here
FS Record: Once led TFF. Very briefly.
Contact:

Re: Iain Banks

Post by murf »

Spencer4 wrote:I may re-read The Crow Road in his honour.
I shall raise a wee dram shortly

User avatar
Zimmerman
FISO Jedi Knight
Posts: 30211
Joined: 13 Oct 2005, 18:42
Location: having a picnic at the Bear Mountain

Re: Iain Banks

Post by Zimmerman »

Spencer4 wrote:I may re-read The Crow Road in his honour.

I will finish off Transition in his honour, which I started about a year ago (if not more)

Shame, because I think he'd brought forward the publishing date of his final book… guessing he still didnt make it :(

2009 – Transition
2012 – Stonemouth
2013 – The Quarry (forthcoming 20 June 2013 in UK)

User avatar
Billy Whiz
Rhubarb Crumbledore
Posts: 7242
Joined: 13 Oct 2005, 18:26
Location: Cloud cuckoo land

Re: Iain Banks

Post by Billy Whiz »

Complicity is one of the best books I've ever read. I've also read Walking on Glass, which was excellent, and The Bridge, which I couldn't get into, but you can't win them all. Certainly a gifted writer though. RIP.

User avatar
Finsimbo
Grumpy Old Man
Posts: 2456
Joined: 13 Oct 2005, 18:27
Location: You tell me
FS Record: If only there was a record

Re: Iain Banks

Post by Finsimbo »

Billy Whiz wrote:Complicity is one of the best books I've ever read. I've also read Walking on Glass, which was excellent, and The Bridge, which I couldn't get into, but you can't win them all. Certainly a gifted writer though. RIP.
Complicity....great read, my top Banks read

Read some of his m Banks stuff but found it quite hard to get into

RIP

User avatar
fancy dan
Grumpy Old Dan
Posts: 3881
Joined: 13 Oct 2005, 18:27
Location: Having a secret meeting in the basement of my brain
FS Record: Winner of S4's big WC prediction game - and 2-time winner of the Premier League A game!

Re: Iain Banks

Post by fancy dan »

Will pick up a copy of Complicity in his honour. I can recommend Whit, The Crow Road and The Steep Approach To Garbadale, probably some of his more 'straightforward' stories, as well. A great writer who balanced avant-garde with accessibility, always a difficult balancing act. RIP.

The Fat Skier
Treebeard
Posts: 224
Joined: 13 Oct 2005, 18:33

Re: Iain Banks

Post by The Fat Skier »

Raised a Bruichladdich last night, and delved back into Raw Spirit, which i gave up on first time. Some poignant passages in there.

The Crow Road probably still my favourite of his novels, but a soft spot for Espedair Street from the early ones, and The Steep Approach to Garberdale a great late return to form. Not much of an SF buff, but really enjoyed The Player of Games too.

Loved his humour, and thought his cultural references were always neatly interwoven in the stories.

He will be missed.

User avatar
Finsimbo
Grumpy Old Man
Posts: 2456
Joined: 13 Oct 2005, 18:27
Location: You tell me
FS Record: If only there was a record

Re: Iain Banks

Post by Finsimbo »

Have this

feersum endjinn

Takes a lot of concentration, still a good read

User avatar
Zimmerman
FISO Jedi Knight
Posts: 30211
Joined: 13 Oct 2005, 18:42
Location: having a picnic at the Bear Mountain

Re: Iain Banks

Post by Zimmerman »

He did a show on 6Music about a year ago. It's available to listen again on their website (maybe iplayer too.. I don't do that stuff, so not sure how it works).

But it's music that's importantant to him as well as little tit bits of information and anecdotes about himself. Havent ever seen or read an interview with him, so for me it was quite an interesting listening

View Latest: 1 Day View Your posts
Post Reply

Return to “Arts, Literature & Cultural Events”