Fantastic writer, hopefully his passing will spur on even more interest in his work. It was only April I heard about his cancer, I'd hoped he would get some more time.
Really sad - there was an interview with him in yesterday's Sunday Times which implied he might have some months left.
A truly great author and I can't believe we won't be getting another Culture novel.
Phil
I've recently reread Use of Weapons and Player of Games, and am looking forward to reading a couple of his latest books that I haven't yet read.Sad to hear that he has passed away so soon after the announcement, although I'm not entirely surprised that the official news obviously didn't let on how close he was to the end.
Iain Banks has given and will continue to give much pleasure to thousands, if not millions, of people, and there aren't many people who achieve that in their lifetimes.
Can't believe it data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7.
I've only just discovered Mr Banks, with his first culture novels Consider Phlebas and Player of Games.But even though Im only a beginner, I think the world he created; with it's breezy, hedonistic culture; its all powerful AIs; its fantastical Orbitals and GSVs, and its weird & wonderful races, is utterly fantastic.As crazy as Douglas Adams and as cool as Star Trek.How sad that the mind behind all that is no longer with us.
Sublime in peace.
This is really sad, he's one of the few writers that have made me want to read sci fi. But his other stuff is great too, the steep road to garberdale was great, his character really shone through. I thought he had longer left.
Sad start the week, hopefully he got to do what he wanted in the last few months but really a shame.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Quarry-Iain-Banks/dp/1408703947/ref=tmm_hrd_title_0
Must have been a mistake - at £9.99 now.
I wonder if they will honour it
Fabulous legacy but such a shame - what am I going to read now as he will be a hard act to follow