Can You Read the Culture Series Independently

• #i

Im an SF fan (although not a big reader). I've been recommended Excession, and have been recently swatting up on the 'Culture'. Fascinating stuff, but should i starting time at the beginning with Consider Phlebas, or exercise the books stand alone?

• #ii

I would recommend starting at the start. The stories practise stand up alone - they are set quite far apart chronologically, but y'all do get the odd reference. The war in Consider Phlebas (the Idiran War) is mentioned in some of the other books (including Excession IIRC).
I tin can't remember the exact details, but I suspect that a bit more than time is devoted to explanations of the Minds and ships in the beginning novel. I've read them in the social club that they were written, and then perhaps someone that has read them "out of order" tin annotate.

• #3

Aye, I've read well-nigh of them in completely random social club. So I wouldn't worry too much about information technology; the stories are not connected and there are not even any common characters. But if you're starting off, I suppose information technology makes sense to start with the showtime one. Which I actually oasis't read yet

Phil

• #5

FruitBat pretty much said it all! Consider Phlebas is highly entertaining and a great intro to the Culture earlier the adjacent ii "proper" books (which haven't been equalled by his subsequent output ). Although the last 1 - Surface Item - was pretty skilful, I thought.

Y'all tin can safely skip "Country Of The Art" IMHO.

And yes, some of the non-Culture books are first-class, Feersum Endjinn is frustrating at times but definitely worth it.

• #half-dozen

Foreign, I was recommended to avert Consider Phlebas to start with, as I was told it was one of the weaker Culture novels. I wasn't overly impressed with it tbh, he seemed to lose his manner in the writing.

I as well have The Histrion of Games, The Algebraist and Affair...not sure what to read next merely I fancy some more sci-fi

• #seven

Foreign, I was recommended to avert Consider Phlebas to start with, as I was told it was one of the weaker Culture novels. I wasn't overly impressed with information technology tbh, he seemed to lose his way in the writing.

I as well have The Player of Games, The Algebraist and Matter...not certain what to read side by side only I fancy some more than sci-fi

I didn't think Consider Phlebas was that bad. It didn't terminate me standing with Civilization.

I've seen The Player of Games mentioned quite frequently in lists of recommended books, although I idea Employ of Weapons was better.

The Algebraist (non Culture) was the showtime Iain M Banks that I read, and I only picked it because I studied quite a lot of algebra at academy.

I thought Matter was OK, although I've seen negative opinions of it (specially the ending).

• #8

Now Im in two minds. I might get with the about popular book of the series to outset with and, if its for me, would and so go back and read them all in sequence.

Then... what is everyone's favourite?

• #ix

My favourite is probably Use of Weapons. Nonetheless, I'm not sure this is a good identify to start with the Civilization. The Culture is a little bit peripheral in this story.

Later looking at the list of Culture novels that I've read (everything except Surface Detail):

Consider Phlebas (1987)
The Thespian of Games (1988)
Utilize of Weapons (1990)
The State of the Fine art (1991) (Brusk Stories)
Excession (1996)
Inversions (1998) (Superficially not a Culture novel, simply in that location are some hints)
Expect to Windward (2000)
Matter (2008)

I will stick to my recommendation of starting with Consider Phlebas.

• #x

Use of Weapons is an absolutely classic book just requires a fiddling flake of endeavour compared to the others.
Player of Games is very expert as well and if you skip CP then it'southward a great Culture intro.

But I'd read Consider Phlebas, PoG and then UoW personally. Then go for Excession merely because it's very different.

P.S. I enjoyed Matter up until ... well, you know. Surface Detail was more interesting with a better resolution.

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• #11

Just become stuck in and read the books immediately - stop faffing nearly!

Seriously, Iain Banks graphic mode of writing ensures yous become lost in the storyline and don't desire to put the book downwards once you get started.

I concur with FruitBat - outset with the earlier book 'Consider Phlebas' and read in order of publication. That manner you'll notice how Banks develops and grows as a SciFi writer.

• #12

OK guys, cheers. CP ordered

• #xiii

I found Consider Phlebas to be the best out of the series, although player of games came a decent second. Most of the other ones (fearsome engine, utilize of weapons etc.) I read merely I can't remember a matter near. I'thousand not generally a fan of his civilization novels and find the not-culture books to exist much better.

• #14

Ah well I recommended Excession mainly because of the discipline matter!! but they are all great in my view some meliorate than others & vice versa but yes showtime were you volition at the beginning is where I started all those many years ago with Consider Phlebas ..Relish.

My favs Excession Apply of Weapons & Look to Windward.

• #15

Well Im now halfway through Consider Phlebas. Despite taking me a piddling while to get into (probably due to my wandering mind), I'm actually into it. I've but got to the part where The Culture

has destroyed the Vavatch Orbital using gridfire

, and Banks' descriptive writing here is incredible. What a shocking, awesome, horrifying, fantastic and quite upsetting upshot. Not to mention the other wonders; the megaships, the orbital and the general systems vehicles.

I thing that strikes me, non necesarily in a skilful mode, are the profanities and colloqualisms, which seem at odds with the super-civilisation described. Notwithstanding I take to remind myself that the characters aren't literally speaking in English simply in Marain!

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• #16

Fwi-Vocal and his sets of metal teeth are something to think!

"

Shtand gack! Concur hish arn out ang ee'll show gish naughty goy how we geel wish
hish short!

" Lovely stuff!

• #17

Fwi-Vocal and his sets of metal teeth are something to remember!

"

Shtand gack! Hold hish arn out ang ee'll show gish naughty goy how we geel wish
hish short!

" Lovely stuff!

He'south similar a cross betwixt Hannibal Lecter and Jabba the Hutt! One of the ickier scenes in the volume. Yuck!

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• #18

He's like a cross between Hannibal Lecter and Jabba the Hutt! I of the ickier scenes in the book. Yuck!

Yes - you'll detect that many of the 'baddies' are a flake OTT. Mr Banks likes to paint them in a very bad low-cal!

There are quite a few foibles in Banks'southward'due south's' writings, but no doubt you lot will spot them...

... And forgive him because they are balanced out past the incredibly good descriptions and menstruum of the storyline.

• #19

I've read a lot of Iain G Banks and Iain Banks. I did enjoy virtually of the Culture books and his other sci-fi, but 1 that I tin can't remember the name of I only had to quit on. It had whole parts with a graphic symbol who spoke with an accent, simply instead of letting you exercise the accent in your head and read it unremarkably, it was written then when y'all read it the accent would come out, only that made information technology incredibly difficult and slow to read. I similar the reading to flow, only this was but too much of a stutter.

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• #20

I've read a lot of Iain M Banks and Iain Banks. I did enjoy about of the Culture books and his other sci-fi, simply one that I tin't remember the proper noun of I but had to quit on. Information technology had whole parts with a graphic symbol who spoke with an accent, only instead of letting you practise the accent in your caput and read information technology usually, it was written and so when yous read information technology the accent would come up out, but that fabricated information technology incredibly hard and wearisome to read. I similar the reading to flow, but this was just too much of a stutter.

That'due south 'Feersum Endjinn' which is written phonetically much of the time (nearly 1/3 of the volume).

I couldn't become on with information technology and never finished it - institute it annoying!

• #21

That's 'Feersum Endjinn' which is written phonetically much of the time (about 1/iii of the book).

I couldn't become on with it and never finished it - found information technology abrasive!

That'southward it. What an atrocious idea, talk about making it unpleasant to read!

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• #23

'Role player Of Games' is fantabulous - one of his best sci-fi books. I recommend Lucasisking read that next!

Haven't meet 'Espedair Street', is that one of his sci-fi books or ane of his 'normal' novels?

• #25

'Player Of Games' is excellent - one of his all-time sci-fi books. I recommend Lucasisking read that next!

Noted . Is POG 'next' chronologically?

Equally well as that one I'yard likewise keen to go to Use of Weapons, Look to Windward and Excession; they seem to be recommended and I similar the various synopses.

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Source: https://www.avforums.com/threads/iain-m-banks-where-to-start-with-culture-series.1648057/

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