The Steep Approach to Garbadale

He was great. The following fan fiction excerpt appeared after he died in the style of the Minds talking, it was posted up on here a few years ago:

GCU Read ‘Em and Weep to GSV Does My Mind Look Big in This?: A mutual friend says it’s time to go. Do you have any associates near [i]system ID[/i], some time in the next dozen megaseconds?

GSV Does My Mind… to ROU Not Just a Pretty Face: Fancy a detour to [i]system ID[/i], since you’re passing? There’s some baggage to collect: [i]target designator[/i]

ROU Not Just… to GSV Does My Mind…: It would stretch my schedule. What makes you think I’ve got the legs for that?

GSV Does My Mind… to ROU Not Just…: A little bird told me about your refit. Go on, you’re just itching to try it out.

ROU Not Just… to GSV Does My Mind…: “Bird”? “Itching”? Have you gone native? Oh, all right then, since you’re twisting my arm.

GSV Does My Mind… to ROU Not Just…: Look who’s talking: you’re the one with “arms” and “legs”. Bet you can’t do it in five megaseconds.

ROU Not Just… to GSV Does My Mind…: Aren’t I’m supposed to say something like “Let’s see the colour of your money”? Anyway, watch this.

GSV Does My Mind… to ROU Not Just…: I’m waiting. … OK, that really is rather nice. Next time you’re nearby I’ll send you an avatar to perform an appropriate low whistle.

GSV Does My Mind… to GCU Read ‘Em and Weep: Our friend should make his farewells, and be ready for displacement by ROU Not Just a Pretty Face at time [i]timestamp[/i]. Are there any countermeasures in place?

GCU Read ‘Em and Weep to GSV Does My Mind… and ROU Not Just…: Much obliged. No countermeasures, I’m afraid: it’s all a bit stone axes. They still think digital watches are a pretty neat idea. No displacement, either: the Arbitrary doesn’t want us frightening the horses. Scan-and-forward, if you please. The usual cover story is in place.

ROU Not Just… to GCU Read ‘Em and Weep and GSV Does My Mind…: Sigh. I’ll put my toys away then. A pity: it’s an attractive system, but I always think those little blue planets look better with a ring. Or a really big crater. Who is this guy anyway? I’m dying to meet him. Or maybe I’ve got that the wrong way round. … Scan complete. Oh, it’s him. Let me know when you decant him and I’ll drop by to pay my respects. Here you are: [i]entanglement scan stream[/i]

Agreed, phenomenal talent gone far too soon. Have you read Raw Spirit? Don't worry if you're not into whisky, it's a nice insight into the man and his character. There's also the Culture Drawings book out now, tempted to get that but it's £50 and will just make me sadder that there won't be any more Culture novels 🙁

My signed copy of The Wasp Factory is a treasured possession. I am pretty sure I own every book he wrote.

I didn't have clue where that book was going either, it's bloody good. I'll second Raw Spirit as well. Haven't read any Banks for a while so I think everything is overdue a revisit once I've finished my current Alastair Reynolds book.

There’s also the Culture Drawings book out now, tempted to get that but it’s £50

Thanks for reminding me... I pre-ordered that, and Orbit haven't sent it to me, a month after it has been released :grr: A strongly worded email has been sent.

And it's only £38 on Amazon. And people wonder why we all shop at Amazon and they can't make any profit any more due to Amazon's cut. Well, guess what, Orbit?

In the meantime, I'm still pissed off at Banks for dying before me, the selfish git. Garbadale is not one of my favourites, however. (And I choose to read The Business as a Culture novel, even if it contradicts the official contact timeline.)

I still check every bookshop in case there is a Banks book I’ve missed; M or no M even though I know there isn’t one.
They’ve just done a new set of artwork for all the sci-fi books if anyone is after buying some.

I met someone a while ago who had never read IMB, and was about to start reading his SF books.
I was so jealous....imagine just discovering him now and having all those books to read for the first time!

Banks ruined sci-fi for me. Up until the point that I was introduced I would read any old nonsense so long as it had spaceships or some for of future stuff in. After I read Player of Games and Phlebas and Use of Wepaons and Excession..well. That was that. You can have spaceships and story and WRITING  and characters and stuff. And then I read all the non M stuff.

Nothing else quite scratches the itch. Think its about time to savour another one. Haven't read Whit or The Bridge in some time.

It was Complicity that got me into Iain Banks, and Feersum Endjinns that did it for Iain M Banks

Have you read Raw Spirit? Don’t worry if you’re not into whisky, i

It gives an excellent wine vs whisky rationale for why buying expensive whisky is actually saving you loads of money. 

I think my favourite writer and I think, unfortunately, I've read all his books. I envy anyone who hasn't. 

I met him twice at book signings,he laughed at my name.
It still makes me smile .

Rookie here. Read Consider Phlebas and State of the Art (both excellent). Does that make me one of those privileged who has it all to discover?

First year at Uni, in Halls, I had a copy of Canal Dreams on my bookcase. You know the black and white covers?

Someone (I know exactly who) modified the spine with a marker pen to black out the C

God knows how long it was before I noticed.

Garbadale is one of my favourites. I always think with Banks, a lot of the time not much is happening, yet it's riveting. Such a good storyteller.

Speaking of, need a book or two to get me through the Xmas hols. Any recommendations? I'll read most genres but have recently enjoyed Jay Kristoff for fantasy and am now on some Tana French crime.

Read them all but it's been a long time. Without doubt, our favourite author.

Is it Garbadale where his gran blew up in the first 2 pages ?

The Business is my personal favourite

No, that was The Crow Road. Best opening line of any book, ever.

The Steep Approach to Garbadale was a depressing mess, I thought, and remains the only Banks book that I've sent to the charity shop.

Still working my way through the Ms.

That was The Crow Road.

I'm not sure if I want the Culture drawings book. I've got all these pictures in my head and I'm not sure I want to change that.

Also my favourite writer. I reread the sci fi and culture novels every few years. Look To Windward is one of my favourites. And Excession. Do you think anybody will be brave / stupid enough to try and adapt The Culture for TV / film? I'm surprised no ones tried...

Last year I started going through the non sci fi books, realising I'd not read them all. Complicity is in the post. Steep Appoach and The Business have been highlights so far. Reading the Wasp factory for the first time since being a teenager was an experience.

Struggled with Songs Of Stone.

I read Raw Spirit a few years ago, fantastic book. There's loads of anecdotes that relate to specific scenes in his books. Feels like a 'behind the scenes' to his thought process. It's also really funny.

My signed copy of The Wasp Factory is a treasured possession. I am pretty sure I own every book he wrote

Mine was a treasured possession until I lent it out and didn’t get it back. Oh well.

I’m not sure if I want the Culture drawings book

The reviews are , shall we say , not good.

Its been coming for a long, long time. But the extracts I've seen just look like doodling on the back of a fag packet. I'm a life long Banks fan, but I won't be spending my money on that.

Favourite Banks - has to be Crow Road

Favourite M - probably Use of Weapons. But  I do love The Hydrogen Sonata too.

This thread has inspired me to dig out a few M novels and start reading them.  I wonder if my lad might even be interested - are they suitable for a 12-13 year old? I forget.

I've still to read The Quarry, just because when I do; that's it for me. No more new and undiscovered Banks. It makes me sad every time I think about it.

The Quarry is good but I'd suggest not his best, even if that's sacrilege. It is an interesting place to be for a few days.

Love them all in their own way, but the culture novels are just gloriously, spectacularly wonderful.

Did not know that that drawings book was out - I had also pre-ordered years ago, but it was cancelled. That's my Christmas.

From a fellow M Banks lover, I was recommended Peter F. Hamilton. Started with Pandora's Star, I enjoy his writing very much. BIG space opera, cool stuff, great characters. Pretty damn good.

Still not read The Quarry.
Or the last Pratchett.

As long as they're unread I can still imagine that there may be more to come.

are they suitable for a 12-13 year old? I forget.

I'd have enjoyed them at that age. But then we didn't have the internet, just the Damart catalogue and the occasional Cosmopolitan.
Nah, there's not much sex. Quite a lot of torture, mutilation and death not cartoonishly rendered. But I read a lot of JG Ballard at that age and I'm okay, kinda...

My signed copy of The Wasp Factory is a treasured possession. I am pretty sure I own every book he wrote.

My friend went to a book signing with my copy of The Bridge, and came away with that signed, and two copies of The Crow Road - so I know have Bridge and Crow Road signed - which I am very happy with. They are excellent books. Steep Approach is - I think - in shadow of Crow Road.

To be honest, it was another one - Song of Stone - that I had no compunction returning barely read to the person that lent it, and Canal Dreams was pretty happily offloaded to charity shop. Complicity I liked, engaging story - the sequel to The Bridge if you dig hard enough.

I think the fist book I read of his was Complicity but then I discovered the IMB books.

I think probably Use of Weapons is my favorite though strangely I've never read it again - maybe it's knowing how things turn out in it. The shock the first time I read it was very powerful. Excession or Player of Games come a close 2nd.

Song of Stone is just really unlikeable for me, was always convinced it was the style but realised it's actually the protagonist who I was quite happy to see end up the way he did.

I think that's why I liked song of stone - he was a more an than protagonist and the lieutant the better character.

I finished Garbabdale but it kind of fizzled out at the end, although some of the sub-commentary on capitalism was interesting.

For something to read set in the Culture universe
Culture Fan Fiction (trevor-hopkins.com)

Preface for those who might try it from Trevor, I realise it's not the same and he isn't coming back, but this is on the better side of fan fiction, and I have enjoyed what I've read. Rip Iain.

I have become an enthusiastic writer of Fan Fiction set in the Culture universe, as invented by Iain M. Banks and used in many of his excellent novels and short stories.

I had long been a fan of Mr. Banks' many splendid works and, like many like-minded individuals, I had waited impatiently for the arrival of each new novel in the series. Unfortunately, after the sad demise of the great man in June 2013, there will be no more.

Frankly, I wish I could write as well as the late great Mr. Banks, to be as imaginative as him in the creation of such an original and astonishing universe, and the rich and multi-faceted stories set therein. Since, self-evidently, I am not so talented and creative, I have decided to halve my problem and set some of my own novels and short stories in the Culture universe.

So, here I present a collection of my own fanfiction novels (one is still a work-in-progress) and numerous short stories set in Mr. Banks' Culture universe.

I have also included a collection of web resources which I have found useful in my self-imposed fanfiction tasks, and which might be useful to others attempting to emulate the writing of Iain M. Banks or set their own fanfic stories in his universe.

I should stress that all these works represent my own personal interpretation of the characters and characteristics of Mr. Banks' universe; any errors of commission or omission are, of course, entirely my own.

I think that’s why I liked song of stone – he was a more an than protagonist and the lieutant the better character.

AGREE!

Have I actually had it wrong all this time? Is the Lieutenant the protagonist and we're just being fed a narrative from a red shirt antagonist?