Matter
by Iain M. Banks
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Book Reviews of Matter
Book Review: slow going
Summary: 3 Stars
I find myself agreeing with the more negative reviews on this one. I've loved the other Culture books, and even liked the Algebraist a lot. But this story was just a bit of a slog. I didn't love the human characters, there weren't the usual odd and humorous AI's, and the aliens were stock. We follow the three siblings slowly across the galaxy, and then wham it's all tied up. The writing is excellent, though. I just finished John Meaney's Nulapeiron trilogy which is chock-a-block with fun ideas and fast-paced story lines, but it was much easier to sink into the writing when I started Banks' Matter.Book Review: Great!!!
Summary: 5 Stars
First of all I love the entire Culture series...aside from Frank Herbert's Dune series, this is the best sci-fi series of all time. The philosophy and sociology in these books offers a fascinating lesson for modern times. Alot of the professional reviews said this book was too long, I thought there was a sense of adventure throughout the book and I thought it ended all too soon. The ending was abrupt, and typically Banksian i.e. lots of people die. I would have liked to learn more about the Aultridia and the Morthanveld, but maybe they'll turn up in later novels...Book Review: The Culture lives!
Summary: 5 Stars
When I say that Matter is not my favorite Culture, it is like saying the Hope is not my favorite diamond, it'll do. For the record Excession is. But the waterfall of ideas such as the shellworld itself(nested globes)and a host of engaging characters. Some would say completely changing what the reader thought was going on and killing off all three of your viewpoint characters(two die gloriously on the last page)is a negative, not I. Don't forget to read the second ending in the epilogue after the glossary.Book Review: Just OK and Jack Vanceish
Summary: 3 Stars
This is the first of the "Culture" series books I have read and it reminded me of "Endymion," or perhaps Mervyn Peake's "Gormenghast," although much inferior to them. 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.Book Review: Nothing much Matters
Summary: 1 Stars
Can this be the author of "Consider Phlebas" and "The Bridge"? I slogged through "Matter" as a duty to one of the UK's best writers (with and without the 'M'). "Sorely disappointed" in Matter doesn't adequately describe it. I had to go back to Phlebas to reassure myself that he was as good as I'd thought. It may be harsh, but if I were Banks I'd have put Matter in the bin, or published it under a pseudonym.