I want to get into sci-fi. Is Iain M. Banks a good start?
I'm halfway through the Consider Phlebas and I'm kind of liking it. Is the rest of the series any good? Are there any similar books/series?
If someone mentions Star Wars or Star Trek I'm gonna slap someone, be warned!
>>8110546
Don't be a fag just read Xenocide by Orson Scott Card and you'll be set for life.
Yeah I've read a few other books in that series and enjoyed them just as much. Not Excession though, I never finished that one. I was going through a rough time when I read it so maybe it deserves another shot. I think Banks said that he was inspired by the Hainish novels by Le Guin
Banks is a good popular introduction to sf. He's all about politically driven space opera, which are broad and relative areas for an audience not interested in harder sf's contemplation of ideas. The Player of Games is considered the best general introduction of his corpus, since it covers many of the themes that will reoccur in the series, as well as having efficient plot progression. Consider Phlebas is also a good place to start, and even though it's meandering and digressive (which I suppose fits the outcast protag), it happens to be relatively fast-paced for space opera, as well as striking bits, such as the destruction of a dyson ring, and a pyramidal sadist.
Use of Weapons and Excession take the series to its heights. In particular, Use of Weapons has compelling characters, and a plot structure with convergent symmetry comparable to that of fine Greek tragedy. It also addresses the philosophical implications of the futility of human nature and interfering with other planets' politics. Its two principal characters, Zakalwe and Diziet, explore this vein. Zakalwe, who has a bleak past, and seeks redemption, is paired with stealth operative, Diziet, who is a conflicted pacifist finding a balance with her military operations, and who questions the motives of her agency's meddling.
Excession is denser reading and more complex, and definitely requires knowledge of previous entries to appreciate about a third of it. It raises the stakes of The Culture's infrastructure to its highest, but I thought the climax and triumph at the end was an ass pull. I'm mentioning it to round off this post, since a good portion of Banks' fans consider it his best.
>>8110678
<which are broad and relative areas for an audience not interested in harder sf's contemplation of ideas>
Hard SF is characterised by detail and some level of plausibility. The 'hardest' SF is often very empty when you get past the exposition.
>>8110546
>Is Iain M. Banks a good start?
not really
>>8111762
Thanks for your insights.
>>8111754
>Hard SF is characterised by detail and some level of plausibility.
No.
Use of weapons is GOAT. I'm not really sure what makes a good "intro" to sci-fi because I got into it through my dad at a young age, but it's very literary and you could easily swap out the space parts.
>>8111787
Thank you for capitalizing the 'N' and using the period.
>>8110546
>Is Iain M. Banks a good start?
No, he's a terrible writer with a really shitty gimmicky series.
>>8111841
When I finished it I just couldn't look at chairs the same way. Also made me afraid to pick up a book for a month.
I legitimately suffered PTSD from that book. It is that good.
>>8111754
no
fucking
shit
>>8113572
Did you read it a second time?Because it's even better once you've gotten past the shock value and know the twist.
>>8114383
I will. Eventually. Some day.
Not now.
If you like shorts, it might be easy to start with a nice collection. I first started sf with "The Black Mirror and Other Stories: An Anthology of Science Fiction from Germany and Austria (Early Classics of Science Fiction)"
>>8110546
They are all fantastic. Excession is by far the best.
>>8111860
I bet you work part time in some shitty boutique SF/fantasy bookstore which mostly stocks vampire and zombie novels. I bet you sit behind the counter and read facebook posts loudly.
Pls stop.
>>8112958
not about liking or disliking, he is not a bad sci fi author, but he is certainly not a good start, there are better and way more essential authors
I haven't read the Culture series, but love sci-fi. Here are some recommendations for starting with the genre
Dune
Neuromancer
Rendezvous with Rama
Foundation
Ringworld
The Left Hand of Darkness
The Forever War
Now I'm going to go start Consider Phlebas.
i would suggest to start either with herbert wells (generally for the sci fi) or with ted chiang (for the nowadays sci fi)
>>8116839
The Shape of Things to Come and The Time Machine are both excellent.
What would you recommend for someone's first Ted Chiang read?
>>8116859
hm, i dunno
they are pretty different
'seventy-two letters', likely
also it's not my favorite, my favorite it's 'tower of babylon'
>>8110546
For what it's worth OP, I just started this series within the last two months and I love it so far.
>>8110678
Agreed, ending to Excession didn't live up to the rest of the book
>>8116890
>hm i dunno why dont you read this on my whim, boy do i sound confident about this
... leave anytime tripfag
>>8116937
i answered the question and picked a story which imo can be liked for multiple different reasons i.e. to a wider audience than some of his others
but generally ted chiang is one of the best current sci fi masters of short prose, you can ready any
bzz
>>8116957
but you described them in a shallow, hurdurr im too busy texting xD, manner that suggests that you haven't properly reflected on what you read; not even superficial.
at least give a short description of the story, or the qualities on why it's worth reading. jeezus, this is why lurkers should read around for a minimum of 6 months (2 years for the egregiously stupid) to get a feel for things.
>>8116803
If you liked Le Guin you'll enjoy Banks, he was influenced by her and they are both crazy anarchists.
>>8110593
banks > > > > > > > > > awful spot tard
