Path: news.nzbot.com!not-for-mail
From: PesterD@power-post.org (PesterDPoaster)
Sender: PesterD@power-post.org
Newsgroups: alt.binaries.mp3.audiobooks.scifi-fantasy
Subject: Per Req NMR see note Iain M Banks-Culture 05-Excession.nfo (1/1)
X-Newsposter: YENC-POWER-POST-A&A-v11b (Modified POWER-POST www.CosmicWolf.com)
X-No-Archive: yes
Date: 01 Mar 2015 05:33:47 GMT
Lines: 27
Message-ID: <54f2a4bb$0$17764$bb4e3ad8@newscene.com>
NNTP-Posting-Host: 25a717f3.newscene.com
X-Trace: DXC=QaEZ?61H9Ao[N^nXa=HGT`WJjnT1nf?SmV[l?>g^C2\h_H<@h;PdA6k>n:8eoiiJ@c;BmY`PXECmd7Z4LohdC5eo
X-Complaints-To: abuse@newscene.com
X-Received-Bytes: 3646
X-Received-Body-CRC: 1775789750
Xref: news.nzbot.com alt.binaries.mp3.audiobooks.scifi-fantasy:9
Iain M Banks-Culture 05-Excession.nfo
Excession by Iain M. Banks - Culture Bk 4
Narrated by Unknown
64/44 str NMR probably from 32k original The sound is just passable
20% pars
no repost
Length: Approx. 20 hrs. 54 mins.
Format: Mp3
Note: Any tags on these files were not created or checked by me in any way. If your Usenet browser or mp3 player can't be set to sort by filename please be aware of possible tagging errors.
Description:
From versatile Scottish writer Banks, another sf yarn about the tolerant, diverse, far-future Culture (The Player of Games, 1989, etc.). The Culture is subtly controlled by prodigiously intelligent artificial Minds, who, Banks intimates, spend most of their spare time navel-gazing. Here, a huge, enigmatic object referred to as the Excession appears in space and interacts with the Culture's energy grid in ways previously considered impossible. Diplomat Byr Genar-Hofoen of the Department of Special Circumstances is sent to investigate--but, sidetracked by beautiful, talented, spoiled-brat operative Ulver Seich and by old flame Dajeil Gelian, it will be a long time before he draws near the object. Meanwhile, certain Minds occupying a vast array of self-controlled spaceships suspect that still other Minds are involved in a conspiracy--but to what end? With the Culture thus distracted by the Excession, the cruel, dangerously expansionist alien Affront seize the opportunity to hijack a Culture battle fleet and start a war that they only gradually realize they've been suckered into and can't possibly win. Brilliantly inventive and amusing--whole sections read like strings of knowing jokes--but a mess: Chattering spaceships with splendid if confusing names (e.g., Not Invented Here and Shoot Them Later) don't compensate for the absence of real characters.
The book which precede's this book is _The Player of Games_. _Player_ is the reason that I chose to read _Excession_, but unfortunately, the bizarre plot twists and generally thick storytelling made this a difficult read for me.
_Excession_ picks up in the same universe where _Player_ left off and dives even deeper into the consciousness of the sentient drones/ships/orbitals which populate the Culture. This is the reason to attempt this book... these characters are fascinating. They feel human for a bit then Banks subtly reminds you that you're in the "head" of a machine. Brilliance.
The human characters is where Banks lost me. He begins with solid hooks on each of the main characters, but they often did not develop into three dimension characters that I cared about. Towards the end, I found myself praying to avoid threads which involved these characters and their confusing plotlines.
If you want a taste of "The Culture" -- read _Player_. If you want to find out more, read this, but keep a notepad out and take notes.
|
|