The future perfect (Salon interview with Iain Banks)

[phantom power]

http://www.salon.com/books/int/2005/02/17/banks/index.html

[NewHampshireDem]

1. Thank you for the link!

Iain M. Banks is tied with William Gibson for "Favorite Sci-Fi Author" in my book.

It's too bad they didn't send someone who actually read any of Bank's books to interview him, though. What kind of question was that one about the WMD's? How many times during the Idiran war did such a thing happen?!? A better question would have asked about the parallels between the Idiran war and the Iraq war, even more so if Banks had been asked who was more like the Idirans, the US or Iraq under Hussein ... though I suspect I know the answer. :)

<edit>
As for Banks' popularity as a "mainstream author" I think some of his books are a bit too "British" (or Scottish) for most Americans ... especially 'Whit' and 'The Crow Road.' That said, I thoroughly enjoyed both!

[phantom power]

2. I've never actually read any of Banks' books.

But I keep hearing good things. I'll have to try him out sometime.

[NewHampshireDem]

3. You are missing a real treat!

I'd start with "Use of Weapons" or "Consider Phlebas." They are good introductions to his work and his Culture universe. "Excession" and "Look to Windward" are Culture novels as well, but while they are excellent, IMHO they aren't particularly good introductions to his work.

"Feersum Enjinn" is also excellent, though it is not a Culture novel.

As for his non-sci-fi, "The Business" is a good read, as is "Whit." His first novel, "The Wasp Factory" is terrific, but very, very disturbing.

The chief problem is that many of his books are out-of-print in the US ... especially his non-sci-fi. I order mine through Amazon.co.uk ... the shipping is a bitch, but I ordered like 5 or 6 books at a time, so it was justifiable.