The Wasp Factory (spoiler)

[Maurice Picarda]

the worst so far

Espedair Street, shurely?

 

[ice-is-forming]

The Wasp Factory is

i enjoyed it too ..made me laugh a lot was it meant to ?

 

[frogwoman]

i enjoyed it too ..made me laugh a lot was it meant to ?

Yes it was.

 

[littlebabyjesus]

The Wasp Factory is the only Banks book I've read. That was over a decade ago, and I found his prose style so turgid that I've been put off for good, I think.

 

[DotCommunist]

The Bridge is worth the time.

 

[DotCommunist]

The Wasp Factory is the only Banks book I've read. That was over a decade ago, and I found his prose style so turgid that I've been put off for good, I think.

Try some of his earlier Sci Fi.

 

[frogwoman]

why are people slagging it off? It's one of my favourite books!

 

[littlebabyjesus]

Try some of his earlier Sci Fi.

But he appears not to know how to construct pleasing sentences. That's a big obstacle for me - I think I'd have to be paid to read another book by him.

 

[ChrisC]

So (no spoilers) was Matter by Iain M. Banks any good?

 

[DotCommunist]

not really. It was just more of the same.

Inversions, Phlebas and Player of games are all much better

 

[ChrisC]

I'd like him to re-visit the universe of The Algabraist now that was one hell of a book IMHO.

Although some die hard fans claim that was a culture book. Can't see it myself.

 

[Firky]

The Algabraist like all his other books is utterly shite. Well, the Wasp Factory is aaaaallllllright but it aint great.

 

[geoff64]

Cows is good, but I've said it before and I'll say it again, Eden Eden Eden by Pierre Guyotat is genuinely extreme. The brutality is laid on so thick it becomes densititizing, which I think is the point (as a critique of French foriegn policy in Algeria).

 

[upsidedownwalrus]

The Bridge is worth the time.

The Bridge is amazing...

 

[geoff64]

for people who like "The Bridge" - which I agree is bloody good - suggest reading Alisdair Gray's "Lanark" - which I think Banks must have been heavily influenced by... a fuckin masterpiece of Scottish fiction

 

[loud 1]

i liked this book alot.

bit fuked up tho

 

[Mr Retro]

I'd like him to re-visit the universe of The Algabraist now that was one hell of a book IMHO.

Although some die hard fans claim that was a culture book. Can't see it myself.

I would too. Was talking to a friend about that a while ago, it's set up for a revisit

 

[Pieface]

I've not read any other Ian Banks than the Wasp Factory and that was yonks ago.

I'm going to read all these minging books OU is suggesting though I like to be shocked

 

[ChrisC]

If you like to be shocked read Complicity. I need not say anymore.