tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5143440998478479157.post2984508755496746936..comments2024-03-24T14:47:00.370-07:00Comments on Approaching Pavonis Mons by balloon: Iain Banks 1954 - 2013Al Rhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01517967406876572177noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5143440998478479157.post-81750510697182898422017-02-01T00:50:41.216-08:002017-02-01T00:50:41.216-08:00I'd like to second this if I may. He's one...I'd like to second this if I may. He's one of a very few number of writers (okay, there's two) that not only made me want to read every science fiction he's ever written, but also made me want to get into writing myself. Until I read his culture novels I always just enjoyed books, but his writing is what pushed me a step further. He's one of the few inspirations I had and while I never got to meet him personally I always greatly admired his writing and genuinely feel the world worse off for him no longer being around.Karsten Aichholzhttps://www.karstenaichholz.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5143440998478479157.post-10453908994383277432013-07-20T09:30:44.134-07:002013-07-20T09:30:44.134-07:00I watched that Google hangout - Ian was always an ...I watched that Google hangout - Ian was always an interesting speaker. Like his writing he always seemed to say something unexpected - that was part of the joy of it all, I guess - a sense of devilish fun and a slight apprehension that something awful was about to happen (in his stories, I mean, not at the hangout!). <br /><br />I will sorely miss not having a new Ian M to read ever again; although there's a bittersweet lining to it - I have only read a few of his 'Ian Banks' novels - I still have all of that ahead of me!<br /><br />One last question - what is that you are all standing in front of? It looks like a part of a film set plonked down in the middle of a hotel room...?oddlyfamiliarhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02308632947493058078noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5143440998478479157.post-21623816216090530312013-06-25T03:18:02.494-07:002013-06-25T03:18:02.494-07:00Oh, no.... I can't believe the first book I TR...Oh, no.... I can't believe the first book I TRIED to pick up and read is from Iain Banks. I am still reading his Excession, a novel from Culture series. I can't believe this! Great writer he is. I love the way he spelled out the story on Excession.<br /><br />Thank you, Iain, for giving me wonders. Thank you. Goodbye.<br /><br />Both of you - Iain and Al - make a splendid supernova in my life. Will never forget all these. =)MinZhihttp://lemiz812019.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5143440998478479157.post-52344313958077677152013-06-16T14:00:02.229-07:002013-06-16T14:00:02.229-07:00Give Ardbeg a try. Priced in between Laphroiag and...Give Ardbeg a try. Priced in between Laphroiag and Lagavulin, but better than either, IMO. Also mentioned by Iain in Raw Spirit.Jim McClanahanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17777883712799719009noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5143440998478479157.post-26843853985789529542013-06-11T12:33:05.342-07:002013-06-11T12:33:05.342-07:00I was having a pretty lousy day. Then I found a li...I was having a pretty lousy day. Then I found a link to this blog on another site. I clicked. I love Alastair Reynolds. I love Iain Banks. I really love reading anything from the Revelation Space or Culture series while have a small glass of an Islay whiskey, specifically the two mentioned here. Thoughs of savoring delicious smokiness while experiencing "what's out there" with technologically advanced, space-faring civiliaztions were aroused. My day is lousy no more. Thank you Alastair. Nick Thompsonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5143440998478479157.post-20262385681572237272013-06-11T08:49:46.725-07:002013-06-11T08:49:46.725-07:00The two sci fi authors who turned me onto the whol...The two sci fi authors who turned me onto the whole scene were Mr. Reynolds and Mr. Banks. From Iain, I drew the far future human culture I have always desired to live in. From yourself, Alastair, I drew the dark side of chronologically earlier human expansion. Which is not to say that Iain didn't know how to paint in dark tones (!), nor that you fail to illustrate the lighter side of life, Alastair.<br /><br />Iain knew how to take complex ideas from speculative physics and REALLY visualise them. For this, many thanks. His importance doesn't lie there, though, but in the solid stories, the fully 3D characters, the universal themes. For example, in 'Inversions', there are few sci fi elements, but instead what I can only describe as (forgive me Iain) literature, beautiful literature. I always appreciated your elements of mystery, fantasy, densely complex and real worlds, from 'Feersum Endjinn' to the 'Hydrogen Sonata'. Your forays into harsh sci fi and bleakia, from 'Against a Dark...' to the amazing 'Use of...'. Your sublime representations of machine intelligence in 'Excession' thrills me. Your minus-M works always carried that wonderful dash of gothique. For me, the classic 'Wasp Factory' wins hands down.<br /><br />To celebrate your birth I had a wee dram of Blair Athol. I haven't yet decided how to celebrate your works, maltwise!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17159756589211653368noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5143440998478479157.post-3404796333965593952013-06-11T07:45:06.952-07:002013-06-11T07:45:06.952-07:00The Islay Whiskies are all superb!The Islay Whiskies are all superb!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5143440998478479157.post-66783531489961252722013-06-11T07:30:00.746-07:002013-06-11T07:30:00.746-07:00I met Iain briefly on a reading of Look to Windwar...I met Iain briefly on a reading of Look to Windward, which was the first novel of his I read -- and through which I fell in love with his writing. After the reading, I loved the man, too. Time went by, and last year I had tickets for a Waterstones "meet the author" and book signing for The Hydrogen Sonata. Then work happened and I had to skip the event. I was sad, but "There will be another," I thought. How wrong I was... Still can't believe or accept there won't be another Iain M book... So unfair... :(M V Melcerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00507011169412145726noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5143440998478479157.post-67936811877013981152013-06-09T19:10:11.807-07:002013-06-09T19:10:11.807-07:00My dad was the big Whiskey drinker, I haven't ...My dad was the big Whiskey drinker, I haven't drank for years now, but I put an extra spoon of coffee in my morning mug, sat on the coffee table in front of my bookcase and casually reflected and perused through all of Iain's books!<br />This is a hard hit!<br />R.I.P Iain!Davehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10567709389917116377noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5143440998478479157.post-1744089919999275812013-06-09T17:39:58.317-07:002013-06-09T17:39:58.317-07:00What's unavoidably sad is that he was still ba...<br /><br /><br /><br />What's unavoidably sad is that he was still banging out solid sci-fi novels in recent years (Matter, Surface Detail and The Hydrogen Sonata), he was still quite young really, and a lot of creative potential was unfairly robbed by his cunting cancer. I'm particularly rattled by his death on a personal level since I met him in person at a book signing only last October.<br /><br /> A tremendous creative talent that's walked down the Crow Road much too soon. TedShatner10https://www.blogger.com/profile/14397084175006335687noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5143440998478479157.post-7599263337014833632013-06-09T16:11:25.132-07:002013-06-09T16:11:25.132-07:00Earlier today I finished reading "Player of G...Earlier today I finished reading "Player of Games", it has become my favorite Banks story of all his SF books I've read - RIP Iain, you live on into infinity.packrat54https://www.blogger.com/profile/13416780539495420826noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5143440998478479157.post-47083743942586480272013-06-09T15:40:44.787-07:002013-06-09T15:40:44.787-07:00This has hit me harder than any other death of an ...This has hit me harder than any other death of an artist, well known-person etc that I haven't personally known. His novels not only shaped much of my reading tastes in both science fiction and 'literary' fiction (whatever that means) but also my own desire to write for a living. <br />I'd been meaning to go to a book signing at some point but it was, obviously, all too late after the revelation of a few months back.<br /><br />See you in Infinite Fun Space Iain.Richardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08746655917185967177noreply@blogger.com