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Consider Phlebas Published by the Folio Society

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Re: Consider Phlebas Published by the Folio Society

#51

Post by iamacyborg »

Apocryphon wrote: post #45
Veen wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah, I mean, Ken McLeod is a decent enough writer, but he's not in the same league as Banks. Can't imagine why I'd want to pay that much for a copy of a Banks book signed by him.

I wouldn't mind an edition of H.P. Lovecraft writings signed by August Derleth, or a Tolkien book signed by C.S. Lewis (or vice versa), and so on. A Discworld novel signed by Neil Gaiman.

If you like Gaiman there are some very nice copies of his works from some smaller fine press publishers.

https://www.arete-editions.com/artists-edition

https://www.lyrasbooks.com/shop/coraline/coraline-lettered-e...

Re: Consider Phlebas Published by the Folio Society

#52

Post by Symmetry »

tblt wrote: post #44

As a massive fan of the Culture series, does anyone have recommendations for other excellent sci-fi books?

Ok, for an Ian M Banks fan specifically.

Alistair Reynolds has a number of good books which can capture some of the same darkness you'd find in part's of Banks's work. The Revelation Space books are great in their gothic way, and House of Suns has a lot of the galactic wonder aspects of the Culture books.

Ken MacLeod as a friend of Bank's and a good writer. His Fall Revolution books are probably the best known and explore various radical leftish ideas for organizing society across the nearish future.

And this last is a bit of an oddball but Leonard Richardson's Constellation Games was a book I really enjoyed that starts with aliens coming to Earth looking to help out and our protagonist, a video game reviewer, asking for alien games to review but ends up in a place that resonated with The Culture very strongly.

Re: Consider Phlebas Published by the Folio Society

#53

Post by WorldMaker »

jaqalopes wrote: post #23

Consider Phlebas was such an odd entry point into the Culture series. In a way it makes more sense as a prequel, to be read after you understand the world and the general conceit of the series. In fact, I think Consider Phlebas is better upon rereading than it was going in cold. In this light, I'm kind of surprised I went on to read the other books after starting with this one. But, I'm incredibly glad I did, and I r…

I felt it a good introduction for the same reason as it was the first written book: Banks didn't know how to tell a story about the Culture without trying to attack the Culture and find its flaws and outsiders. The edition I read even had a foreword to that effect. Obviously, he found far more interesting outsiders and flaws as the series progressed, but it is still interesting to see that "bootstrap moment" in Consider Phlebas as he works to find the right hooks in a way that feels almost like "in real time".

Re: Consider Phlebas Published by the Folio Society

#54

Post by giraffe_lady »

substation13 wrote: post #27
jaqalopes wrote: post #23

Consider Phlebas was such an odd entry point into the Culture series. In a way it makes more sense as a prequel, to be read after you understand the world and the general conceit of the series. In fact, I think Consider Phlebas is better upon rereading than it was going in cold. In this light, I'm kind of surprised I went on to read the other books after starting with this one. But, I'm incredibly glad I did, and I r…

It's a fun action novel; I loved the part with the cult on the island. But yeah, it has nothing on Player of Games.

This is a consistent complaint I have about that whole series. Banks clearly enjoys writing action sequences, and is very good at it, and they are a poor fit for the stories of the series. They're tonally out of place with the setting, throw off the pacing, and require extravagant plot contortions to allow for them.

Re: Consider Phlebas Published by the Folio Society

#55

Post by giraffe_lady »

doctoboggan wrote: post #43
jaqalopes wrote: post #23

Consider Phlebas was such an odd entry point into the Culture series. In a way it makes more sense as a prequel, to be read after you understand the world and the general conceit of the series. In fact, I think Consider Phlebas is better upon rereading than it was going in cold. In this light, I'm kind of surprised I went on to read the other books after starting with this one. But, I'm incredibly glad I did, and I r…

I just finished reading Consider Phlebas, and am starting Player of Games now! I tried to find reading order lists online and most just recommended publication order. I hope I didn’t ruin anything.

It's true that it's an awkward entry point, but it's not necessarily a bad one. It's the worst book of the series imo, so if I wanted someone to read the whole series I wouldn't start them there.

But it also covers events that are directly or indirectly significant to the plot or setting of... most... of the other books. So if you are going to read them all, you get more out of the rest for having read it first.

Re: Consider Phlebas Published by the Folio Society

#56

Post by rsynnott »

doctoboggan wrote: post #43
jaqalopes wrote: post #23

Consider Phlebas was such an odd entry point into the Culture series. In a way it makes more sense as a prequel, to be read after you understand the world and the general conceit of the series. In fact, I think Consider Phlebas is better upon rereading than it was going in cold. In this light, I'm kind of surprised I went on to read the other books after starting with this one. But, I'm incredibly glad I did, and I r…

I just finished reading Consider Phlebas, and am starting Player of Games now! I tried to find reading order lists online and most just recommended publication order. I hope I didn’t ruin anything.

There are _largely_ no spoilers. I think Look to Windward might have very minor ones for Phlebas, but largely the novels are all set in the same universe, but more or less standalone.

Re: Consider Phlebas Published by the Folio Society

#57

Post by ASalazarMX »

dsr_ wrote: post #35
jaqalopes wrote: post #23

Consider Phlebas was such an odd entry point into the Culture series. In a way it makes more sense as a prequel, to be read after you understand the world and the general conceit of the series. In fact, I think Consider Phlebas is better upon rereading than it was going in cold. In this light, I'm kind of surprised I went on to read the other books after starting with this one. But, I'm incredibly glad I did, and I r…

There are books which are fully juiced on their first reading. All of Banks' novels have additional liquid to savor after several pressings.

What a weird way to describe it, but it is true that his writing is something you stop to admire on its own from time to time.

Re: Consider Phlebas Published by the Folio Society

#58

Post by arglebargle123 »

iamacyborg wrote: post #14
NikolaNovak wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What was special / good about that publication? It's signed by somebody I can best understand as "Not Ian M. Banks", and the description doesn't really tell me anything about "hardware", nor do they have a photo of the product :-/

SubPress make very good, high quality books. Sometimes it's just quite nice to own a nicely made physical object for something you deeply enjoy.

I do most of my reading on a high end eink device these days and I still get excited when I can buy sub press epubs. Even their digital releases are great quality.

Re: Consider Phlebas Published by the Folio Society

#59

Post by arglebargle123 »

dekhn wrote: post #10
buserror wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Possibly my favourite. My dog-eared copy is signed... twice... too. He used to come and read in Windsor, UK on occasion...

my least favorite. The Player of Games, Excession and the Hydrogen Sonata for me.

My favourite plot twist in the entire series is our friend wih a need for speed in Excession. That book is one of my all time favourite reads.

Re: Consider Phlebas Published by the Folio Society

#60

Post by doctoboggan »

giraffe_lady wrote: post #55
doctoboggan wrote: post #43

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I just finished reading Consider Phlebas, and am starting Player of Games now! I tried to find reading order lists online and most just recommended publication order. I hope I didn’t ruin anything.

It's true that it's an awkward entry point, but it's not necessarily a bad one. It's the worst book of the series imo, so if I wanted someone to read the whole series I wouldn't start them there. But it also covers events that are directly or indirectly significant to the plot or setting of... most... of the other books. So if you are going to read them all, you get more out of the rest for having read it first.

Good to hear you think its one of the weaker ones, I didn't love it personally. (I thought the setting was awesome but struggled a little bit with the motivations of most of the characters). I've heard enough good things about the series however to know I am going to read most/all of them! Which book if your favorite?
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