Matter (Culture)
by Iain M. Banks
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Book Summary Information
Author: Iain M. BanksEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2009-02-10
ISBN: 0316005371
Number of pages: 624
Publisher: Orbit
Product features:
- ISBN13: 9780316005371
- Condition: New
- Notes: BRAND NEW FROM PUBLISHER! 100% Satisfaction Guarantee. Tracking provided on most orders. Buy with Confidence! Millions of books sold!
Book Reviews of Matter (Culture)
Book Review: Starts with a bang, ends with a fizzle
Summary: 3 Stars
Matter is my fourth venture in the Culture series and though overall I found I liked it more than not, it still has significant issues, which I'm starting to notice in many of the Culture books. I'll touch on that in a second, but first a little plot summary-
Ferbin, heir to the throne for the Sarl on the 8th level of the Shellworld Sursamen witnesses the untimely death of his Father, the King Hausk-- Untimely because the murderer is the King's best friend tyl Loesp. Ferbin is rightfully the next in line, but in fear he flees to find his Sister Djan Seriy, whom is now an agent for Culture's Special Circumstances (the guys that handle the 'dirty work'). Besides, Ferbin isn't exactly King material, and he knows this. He is suspected to be dead, so the next in line would be his brother Oramen, however, his brother is slightly underage so tyl Loesp takes the reins. Meanwhile the Oct, whom are the mentors of the Sarl have something up their sleeve. Quickly the plot splits into multiple POVs and we see the story unfold from multiple angles.
Like with any Banks book, there's a lot to like here. I really dig the Shellworld idea. Shellworlds are manufactured worlds which are spherical like most other worlds, except there are multiple layers, like an onion. Each level contains different species, different landscapes, etc. At the core of the world is where the WorldGod is believed to live. Of course, Banks prose is intoxicating as always and I really liked the blend of high fantasy, sci-fi and even a bit of 'steampunk'. There are Lots of goodies.
Unfortunately, like many of his other books, the plodding, err-- plotting could use some work. Banks spends a MASSIVE amount of time setting everything up and it begins to feel a little contrived, as if he's just moving pieces around for the final showdown. Also, here we have another climax that falls flat in my opinion. Tension starts growing between various parties and right when it's at its height an event happens that, well, it resolves the tension I suppose but not in a very neat way. Then, Banks quickly moves on to the end, which is very imaginative, but it still feel tacked on. I wish the tension I spoke of earlier was resolved in a more satisfying manner, especially after so much build-up. Ah well.
I did like much of the book and I felt the important characters were fleshed out pretty well. When I was about 300 pages into this I thought Matter was going to be 5 star material for sure, but it sort of fizzles and then whimpers near the end (at the very end it picks back up a little bit). I'm giving Matter a pessimistic 3.5 (rounding to 4 seems a bit too generous for this one). It's worth a read, but the climax might irk you a little bit.
Also, I should mention that despite there being at least 80 different characters and a bunch of different species I found this one to be quite readable. When I initially picked this book up and saw the huge character list and the massive glossary in the back I felt a little intimidated to start digging in, but after a hundred pages or so it really becomes quite easy to follow.
Summary of Matter (Culture)
In a world renowned even within a galaxy full of wonders, a crime within a war. For one man it means a desperate flight, and a search for the one - maybe two - people who could clear his name. For his brother it means a life lived under constant threat of treachery and murder. And for their sister, even without knowing the full truth, it means returning to a place she'd thought abandoned forever.Only the sister is not what she once was; Djan Seriy Anaplian has changed almost beyond recognition to become an agent of the Culture's Special Circumstances section, charged with high-level interference in civilizations throughout the greater galaxy.
Concealing her new identity - and her particular set of abilities - might be a dangerous strategy, however. In the world to which Anaplian returns, nothing is quite as it seems; and determining the appropriate level of interference in someone else's war is never a simple matter.
MATTER is a novel of dazzling wit and serious purpose. An extraordinary feat of storytelling and breathtaking invention on a grand scale, it is a tour de force from a writer who has turned science fiction on its head.
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