|
| 
| Author: Iain M. Banks
Publisher: Orbit
Category: Book
List Price: $25.99
Buy New: $9.99
You Save: $16.00 (62%)
New (37) Used (14) Collectible (1) from $9.99
Avg. Customer Rating:  47 reviews
Sales Rank: 16721
Media: Hardcover
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 608
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.9
Dimensions (in): 9.2 x 6.2 x 1.9
ISBN: 0316005363
Dewey Decimal Number: 823.914
EAN: 9780316005364
ASIN: 0316005363
Publication Date: February 27, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: Expedited shipping available
Shipping: International shipping available
Condition: New - Has remainder mark. Fast shipping from trusted wholesaler with many exclusive publisher contracts.
|
| Customer Reviews:
grim but satisfying March 20, 2008
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
One of the things I love best about Banks' novels (specifically concerning the Culture) is the reality of the characters. They sport definite flaws, idiosynchrasies, etc...but they also have noble qualities mingled among the "dirt", in a very complex mix, giving rise to a love/hate, admiration/scorn emotion in the reader. In this aspect, he doesn't disappoint in his latest novel.
His dark humor, of course, is present, and provides a pleasant savor to this otherwise grim tale.
What I most appreciate is the ending: I found myself shocked, angered, numbed, then grinning with hope and well being, all within a few moments.
The book did get off to a rather slow start, but it built momentum that ended in a sharp burst of action at the end, which was all too brief for my tastes.
Nevertheless, I eagerly await his next Culture novel.
Stuffed full of ideas, but ultimately rushed March 10, 2008
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
In brief: A detail-rich blend of plot threads and world-building that will engage Banks and Culture fans, but may leave neophytes (and many fans!) wondering what happened...
'Matter' follows the fortunes of two royal brothers and a sister from a relatively backwater society in an ancient artifical 'shell-world'. Betrayal, murder-most-foul and the quest for justice/revenge/etc drive the plot and characters to an almost world-shattering conclusion. But don't blink, or you'll be into the Appendix before you've caught the ending. Oh, and stick around, the Epilogue comes _after_ the Appendix.
The investment that Banks makes in world-building suggests he's creating a whole new universe that subsequent novels will inhabit, rather than an expansion of the Culture-centric universe we already know. Indeed, Banks' Shell-world could be considered the lead character, with a rich but endless supporting cast of species and civilizations. But perhaps I'm missing the point - perhaps Banks wanted us to know that even the mighty Culture was just a drop in the Galactic ocean. All that said, I can't help but think that more room could have been made for the ending if some of the ideas (species, civilizations, politics...) could have been reined in.
The Culture (and Special Circumstances) are largely hinted at through the capabilities of the heroine, otherwise the universe of drones, ships and minds takes a back seat to more human-equivalent character-driven plotting.
'Matter' in the end, seemed to run out of space, or steam (or plasma or knife-missiles, depending on your equiv-tech). Key human, ship and drone characters are burned through with barely a mention. What happened to the antagonist, Loesp? We have to fill in the blanks, although the more vindictive amongst us would have liked more Banksian sensory-surround detail... There is an upside in terms of maintaining pace, but personally I would have liked more flesh and blood, and less bone. Sometimes us saps want to see and feel the heroic end, or delight in the pain of the fall.
If you're new to Banks and the Culture, I highly recommend trying 'Consider Phlebas' or 'Use of Weapons' first. If you're already a fan, 'Matter' is definitely worth buying, but be prepared that Banks expects you to work for your gratification at the end!
For world-building, and plot and character-development, it rates five stars. In the end, however, I gave this four stars as I think the climax and denouement are just too short, and will demand too much of all but the most dedicated reader.
 Just OK and Jack Vanceish March 9, 2008
2 out of 5 found this review helpful
This is the first of the "Culture" series books I have read and it reminded me of other science fiction or fantasy; the works of Jack Vance, Dan Simmon's Endymion, or perhaps Mervyn Peake's Ghormenghast, although much inferior to it. Banks' baroque writing style just didn't do it for me and a multiplicity of characters with long, convoluted names, descriptive set-pieces and lots and lots of pages did not make up for the absence of a story that was sufficiently interesting to make me want to read more of this series.
I wanted to like it March 7, 2008
6 out of 8 found this review helpful
I've been a fan of Banks and the Culture for years, and ordered this book as soon as it was available. I have to say this isn't up to par for Banks.
It starts slowly and moves in infinite detail along side plots that don't really relate to the story, and BAM, it's over.. poorly... in a couple of chapters. Wait for the paperbak.
 Banks strikes the right balance March 6, 2008
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
Iain Banks is one of the few authors out there who can do both genre and mainstream work and achieve quality in both. His science fiction really shines--an excellent blend of space opera and deep, literary writing. His Culture novels are consistently fun reads that won't leave you feeling stupider (or more socially awkward) for having spent a week with them. One of my all-time favorite authors.
|
|
|
Powered by Associate-O-Matic
| |
