tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14857092.post1653136834061036683..comments2024-03-16T02:16:54.082-07:00Comments on Vagabond Scholar: Iain Banks (updated)Batocchiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02193752396025012825noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14857092.post-35741635735391883422013-07-22T23:00:26.507-07:002013-07-22T23:00:26.507-07:00I've updated the post to include Against a Dar...I've updated the post to include <i>Against a Dark Background</i>. For readers of the book, I've linked the epilogue Banks posted online for it. Batocchiohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02193752396025012825noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14857092.post-75268320372746316212013-07-04T09:54:13.210-07:002013-07-04T09:54:13.210-07:00Dave, I'm actually reading it now (about two t...Dave, I'm actually reading it now (about two thirds through). So far, it's been great. Batocchiohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02193752396025012825noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14857092.post-80851289129998274252013-07-04T09:21:08.742-07:002013-07-04T09:21:08.742-07:00What did you think of Against a Dark Background? I...What did you think of Against a Dark Background? It was the first Banks book I read and I thought it was well done.Dave Hochfelderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01051009582746016406noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14857092.post-29264717219924212672013-06-18T10:19:50.847-07:002013-06-18T10:19:50.847-07:00Her one sci-fi set is my favorite, but I appreciat...Her one sci-fi set is my favorite, but I appreciate most of her writing. Some of her non-fiction essays intrigued me as well: "Prisons We Choose To Live In" and a slim book on Afghanistan that someone should have read before we committed to war there: "The Wind Blows Away Our Words." Her fictional "Children of Violence" series impressed me quite a lot, as well.<br Syrbal/Labryshttp://www.herlanderwalking.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14857092.post-42207411676192002672013-06-16T13:37:58.909-07:002013-06-16T13:37:58.909-07:00I've never read any of his stuff, I'll hav...I've never read any of his stuff, I'll have to pick up one of his books.zencomixhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02425613931488064403noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14857092.post-50559165500247507162013-06-16T12:42:08.398-07:002013-06-16T12:42:08.398-07:00Thanks for the rec -- I'll have to check out L...Thanks for the rec -- I'll have to check out Lessing. Any other favorites? Batocchiohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02193752396025012825noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14857092.post-21334694255633245192013-06-16T09:49:01.085-07:002013-06-16T09:49:01.085-07:00Your description of the Culture novels reminds me ...Your description of the Culture novels reminds me of a favorite sci-fi set of my own reading: Doris Lessing's "Canopus in Argos: Archives" books! Similarly advanced and often conflicting space empires vie for influence and "seeding" or colonizing of planets with various effects. <br /><br />This type of sci-fi is always my favorite, an extensive and richly woven Syrbal/Labryshttp://www.herlanderwalking.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.com