Iain (M.) Banks

galwaycyclist

Sad news just came up on Breakingnews

Iain Banks has months to live

http://www.breakingnews.ie/world/author-banks-has-months-to-live-590010.html

Andy-Pandy

Ah, thats awfull. What a writer and what a legacy.

Pawwed Rig

Terrible news.:(
Further details here
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-22015175

What a great writer

mcgovern

Terrible news, more details including his statement here.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/books/booknews/9968842/Iain-Bankss-personal-statement-in-full.html

Trojan

Very sad news, one of the greatest sf writers of this era. The Culture is an incredible creation, and his books are just so readable.

ixoy

Damn. "The Hydrogen Sonata" was going to be the next book I had planned to read. It's going to be much more poignant now. The Culture was a great universe and inspired others immensely.

Nody

I'm sorry for him but also happy; he found out early enough to at least be able to plan his last months to get the most out of them (having had a friend who found out to late and spent the last year in pain, chemo therapy and having the strings of hope pulled several times while his wife pulled her hair out in frustration and sorrow I can appreciate the gift that is even if it is small).

BlaasForRafa

I saw the story this afternoon, its absolutely devastating news news for him to get and with no warning until it was far too late to do anything. When I read Consider Phlebas when I was about 13 years old my mind was completely blown, he's an insanely talented writer.

transylman

Very sad news to hear. My favourite author, he would make up most of my top ten reads. Hope he is able to get the most out of his remaining time.

Antar Bolaeisk

Very sad news and horrible way to go

stevenmu

Very sad news, my favourite author and he helped re-ignite my love of reading after drifting away from it for many years.

Bosh

So very sad.

GBOA

Sorry to dig up an old thread.

I thought some of you may wish to know of this site http://friends.banksophilia.com/ if you don't already. It is possible to leave a message for Ian there and to read the messages others have left. There hasn't been an update since the 21st April but all I can hope is he is making the most of his remaining time, as he said he would.

Certainly my favourite Sci Fi author and I doubt anyone will beat the Culture series. If you like that style of writing/technology though, Neal Asher has a series in a similar vein - the Agent Cormac books. If often wondered if he hadn't read a bit of Ian M Banks before coming up with them... Heh!

Bosh

Sad news :-(

http://m.rte.ie/ten/touch/news/2013/0609/455551-author-iain-banks-dies-aged-59/

RIP

nesf

tricky D

A legend has left us.

RIP

Andy-Pandy

RIP

What a shame, but what a talent.

Mr E

Too young. RIP.

pixelburp

RIP

So sudden, and my thoughts go to his family.

A genuinely unique talent, and one of the most important, creative figures in modern (Science) Fiction; he'll be greatly missed, though his novels will certainly live on and inspire

galwaycyclist

RIP

ixoy

One of my first introductions into the wonders of modern science fiction - he'll be sorely missed for bringing a unique mix of science, action, humour, and inventiveness to the genre, in a balance that too many authors are unable to match.
He's also inspired many others (including a favourite of mine in particular with Neal Asher) and let's hope that inspiration continues as his legacy lives on.

equivariant

Sad day for SF fans.

The Culture was a brilliant creation and Consider Phlebas is one of my favourite books.

CiDeRmAn

Absolutely gutted.
I've been reading him since the late 80's.
The man was 59.
Probably had another 20 odd years of wonderful stories to tell.
Hard to believe this light has been snuffed out.
Without him would Reynolds be as popular now?
Banks singlehandedly redefined the Space Opera, the man thought big, but still wrote Culture books centred on personalities, be they meat and blood or quantum substrate!
There's no one to replace him, possibly no one to come close to his brilliance.
Too many other great authors display promise then disappear up their own back passage.
Banks never ever did.
So, as tribute to the great man, I think I'll re read everything I have of his, which is everything with an M in it, and a few without.
I'll raise a glass of scotch to you this evening!

A Dub in Glasgo

Sad news, RIP

Trojan

He will be very sorely missed, sounded like a cool guy.

For sf readers it's very sad to think there will be no more Culture novels.

I think my favourite is Use of Weapons, but I loved Consider Phlebas and The Player of Games too.

Dan_Solo

Aw shucks.
I've only read about three of his books but they were uniformly brilliant.
I'm thankful he was quite prolific so I've quite a few to go.
RIP.

..Brian..

Very sad news, RIP

Dan_Solo

CiDeRmAn wrote: »

Without him would Reynolds be as popular now?
Banks singlehandedly redefined the Space Opera, the man thought big, but still wrote Culture books centred on personalities, be they meat and blood or quantum substrate!

For me that's where Reynolds gets it wrong. Too much science, not enough fiction. Banks got the balance perfect.

mcgovern

RIP

ixoy

One of the final interviews with him has been published by the Guardian.

Interesting to note that his science fiction work was the one he enjoyed the most and he'd have loved for a Culture novel to be his final work and a grand send off. It's still a shame that he didn't get to do that and that book having been published in thirty years time.

the_monkey

Very sad news, sorry to have posted so late.

His culture series will be hard to beat - for me especially The Player of Games


The Algebraist was a fantastic standalone ...