Looking for alternative read from Iain M Banks Culture Novels

drinkturps

With the sad passing of Iain Banks I am looking for a substitute read as I really enjoyed all of his Culture novels. I particularly liked the dark and quirky humour that ran through them. I'm looking for some suitable sci-fi authors that could possibly fill the gap left behind. I'm no expert in this area so would appreciate it if anyone has any recommendations?

richardb70

Worth having a look at the Hyperion saga, interesting stories and some Banks style nastiness too

IRobot

Check out the stuff I've scored highly in this thread:-

http://www.avforums.com/forums/books-literature/1392480-irobots-sci-fi-book-list.html

Smurfin

Peter F Hamilton?  
Kim Stanley Robinson?
Alistair Reynolds?

drinkturps

Wow! That's what I call a list.

Thanks for the suggestions so far. I'll do some research.

Courtjezter

Just had a look down your list, and it may be an omission, but you seem to have missed a book from the A Song of Ice and Fire series, A Storm of Swords.

Smurfin

That's fantasy, not sci-fi though

IRobot

I think I read "A Storm Of Swords" in Nov-09 but forgot to put it in the list.

There's a few fantasy books towards the end of that list as I was getting a bit bored of reading SF.

I probably won't bother reading anymore SF or fantasy.

EarthRod

Iain Banks took SF to a new level and his style of writing is unique. Like all top-rate authors who pass on, the uniqueness goes with them.

I had the same problem when Patrick O'Brian died. His incredible and excellent series of seafaring novels then ended.

Unfortunately there is no way to fill the gap, no equivalent that matches the quality of these unique writers.

Sad, but there it is!

cebs_uk

Not in the same style as Banks but I've read the Gap series by Stephen Donaldson a few times over the years and its a nice and dark sci-fi action story.  5 books in all but the first is very small compared to the later volumes.