Welcome to the new-look Iain [M] Banks website. This website contains a wealth of information on the fiction of Iain Banks and the science fiction of Iain M Banks. New content is being added to the site on a regular basis. If there's anything you'd particularly like to see on the site, please contact the site editors and let us know.

Leaving a message for Iain Banks

April 5th, 2013 in Resources

If you would like to leave a personal message for Iain, please feel free to sign his guestbook for friends and family: http://friends.banksophilia.com/guestbook/

A Personal Statement from Iain Banks

April 3rd, 2013 in From the Author

I am officially Very Poorly.

After a couple of surgical procedures, I am gradually recovering from jaundice caused by a blocked bile duct, but that - it turns out - is the least of my problems.

I first thought something might be wrong when I developed a sore back in late January, but put this down to the fact I'd started writing at the beginning of the month and so was crouched over a keyboard all day. When it hadn't gone away by mid-February, I went to my GP, who spotted that I had jaundice. Blood tests, an ultrasound scan and then a CT scan revealed the full extent of the grisly truth by the start of March.

I have cancer. It started in my gall bladder, has infected both lobes of my liver and probably also my pancreas and some lymph nodes, plus one tumour is massed around a group of major blood vessels in the same volume, effectively ruling out any chance of surgery to remove the tumours either in the short or long term.

The bottom line, now, I'm afraid, is that as a late stage gall bladder cancer patient, I'm expected to live for 'several months' and it’s extremely unlikely I'll live beyond a year. So it looks like my latest novel, The Quarry, will be my last.

As a result, I've withdrawn from all planned public engagements and I've asked my partner Adele if she will do me the honour of becoming my widow (sorry - but we find ghoulish humour helps). By the time this goes out we'll be married and on a short honeymoon. We intend to spend however much quality time I have left seeing friends and relations and visiting places that have meant a lot to us. Meanwhile my heroic publishers are doing all they can to bring the publication date of my new novel forward by as much as four months, to give me a better chance of being around when it hits the shelves.

There is a possibility that it might be worth undergoing a course of chemotherapy to extend the amount of time available. However that is still something we're balancing the pros and cons of, and anyway it is out of the question until my jaundice has further and significantly, reduced.
Lastly, I'd like to add that from my GP onwards, the professionalism of the medics involved - and the speed with which the resources of the NHS in Scotland have been deployed - has been exemplary, and the standard of care deeply impressive. We're all just sorry the outcome hasn't been more cheerful.

A website is being set up where friends, family and fans can leave messages for me and check on my progress. It should be up and running during this week and a link to it will be here on my official website as soon as it’s ready.

Iain Banks

- ENDS -

To leave a personal message for Iain Banks, please visit: http://friends.banksophilia.com/guestbook/

Iain’s novel The Quarry has been delivered and will be published this year.

Banksonian #19 Available Now

February 22nd, 2013 in Resources

David H, the editor of the Banksonian Fanzine, has been in touch to let us know the newest issue is available to download from efanzine.org.

This edition looks back at 2012 but also forward into 2013 and beyond. He talks about the covers makeover on backlist reissues of Iain Banks' (non M) titles and has a full publicity round up.

Issue #19 can be downloaded here. For a full list of back issues, please visit the efanzines website.

Iain M Banks on The Book Cafe

October 17th, 2012 in TV, Radio & Film, UK-Specific

On Monday the 8th of October, Iain M Banks appeared on BBC's Book Cafe, discussing his newest book The Hydrogen Sonata.

You can listen to a clip from the show with Iain's interview on the BBC Radio website here.

Stonemouth reviews

April 4th, 2012 in Book News

Stonemouth is published tomorrow, and to whet your appetite, here's a round-up of what the critics have been saying so far:

‘There is more than a shade of Pip and Estella in Stewart and Ellie, and to create an emotionally satisfying while intellectually convincing ending is a rare achievement’ Guardian

‘The storytelling is very, very smooth.. One of his best’ Evening Standard

‘Addictive, funny, and brilliantly observed’ Daily Mail

‘This is Banks at his waspish, intelligent, nuanced best. His fans will give thanks’ Scotland on Sunday

‘…it’s tender, and funny, and heart-stopping-ly exciting. I finished it on a high that gave way rapidly to bereavement – as if I were eight again and had just finished Five Go to Smuggler’s Top’ The Times

‘Jocular, gritty and smart-alecky, Stonemouth is very Iain Banks’ Sunday Independent, Ireland

Iain will be out and about signing books in the next few weeks, so check the appearances section for details.

Stonemouth competition – the winners!

February 2nd, 2012 in Book News

Thanks to everyone who entered our competition to win a signed proof of Iain Banks new novel Stonemouth. We had some great answers to why you'd like to review it (as well as some helpful spelling advice on the word 'receive':-)). And now, without further ado, the winners are . . .

Seth DeHaan
Gordon Ritchie
Jason Cordes
Louise Hunter
Vanessa Round

Congratulations! Your proofs are on their way to you as we speak - looking forward to hearing what you think!

Iain Banks Appearances in Spring 2012

January 30th, 2012 in Event News, UK-Specific

Spring is nearly here, and with it comes the much-anticipated Stonemouth - Iain Banks' new novel set in an estuary town in far-north Scotland. To support the release of the novel, Iain will be appearing at a number of events around the UK, including:

• The Stratford-Upon-Avon Literary Festival - Wednesday 25th April
• Key Words Dinner & Conversation - Friday 27th April
• University of East Anglia Literary Festival - Tuesday 1st May

For details, please see the appearances section of the website.

[Thank you to David H from The Banksonian for the heads up on these three.]

Stonemouth – read the new Iain Banks novel before anyone else does

January 23rd, 2012 in Book News, UK-Specific

Stonemouth. Home to sea fog. Gangsters. Lost love. And a suspension bridge . . .

Iain Banks returns in April with his new novel - a dark, fast-paced and brilliant thriller that deals with adolescence, love and vengeance, and the perils of coming home.

We're very excited about it, and with less than three months to wait until Stonemouth is released on the 5th of April, the countdown to publication has well and truly begun. We have a limited amount of signed and numbered reading copies of Stonemouth to giveaway to 5 readers - all we ask in return is for the lucky recipients to let us know what they think of it once they've read it!

To win one of the copies, just fill in the form below and tell us why you'd like to recieve a proof copy. We'll choose the 5 best ones and put the winners names on the website. Once the winners have written their review, they can just send it to us and we'll post them here. The review can be as long or short as you like, though the more in depth the better. No spoilers though! For terms and conditions see here.

The competition has now closed. The winners will be contacted via email shortly. Good luck to all who entered!

World Book Night 2012: "The Player of Games" selected

January 9th, 2012 in Book News, UK-Specific

After so many of you voted to see an Iain M Banks title on the World Book Night 2012 list, we were thrilled when it actually happened and The Player of Games made the final list of twenty-five titles.

World Book Night 2012 will be held on April 23, and they’re looking for 20,000 ‘givers’ to volunteer. These givers will have the opportunity to give away twenty-four copies each as a way to share their enthusiasm for The Player of Games.

Share your love for Iain’s books and The Player of Games by signing up as a giver. Simply register through the World Book Night website before February 1st, and select The Player of Games from the Book Choice drop down.

Interviewed by Albedo One

January 6th, 2012 in Book News

Iain M. Banks is interviewed by David Conyers for the feature piece in the latest issue of Albedo One, Ireland's longest-running magazine of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror.

For more information, or to order a copy of the magazine, head to the Albedo One website.

Iain Banks on BBC Radio 6 Music

November 22nd, 2011 in TV, Radio & Film, UK-Specific

This Sunday, 27th of November, tune in at 12pm to hear Iain Banks on BBC Radio 6 Music as he takes listeners through an hour of music as part of the BBC 6 Paperback Writers programme.

More information can be found on the BBC Radio 6 website: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b017pncn

Listen to Iain discussing 'Meet On The Ledge' by Fairport Convention from the show.

The Wasp Factory – Jim Naughtie's Radio 4 Book Club report

November 18th, 2011 in Book News

The Wasp Factory was featured on Jim Naughtie's Radio 4 Book Club last week, and Jim has written about his conversation with Iain on his Book Club blog.

"The book is a picture of disturbance, a kind of punk's-eye view of the world, which is a place of gothic horror and badness. Yet, as Iain told us, "Frank thinks he is relatively normal - it's as simple as that."

For the full report, see here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/radio4/2011/11/bookclub_the_wasp_factory.html

The Player of Games Audio Shortlisted for Galaxy Award

October 17th, 2011 in Audiobook News, Awards & Accolades, Global

The shortlists for the 2011 Galaxy Awards have been announced today, and The Player of Games, read by Peter Kenny, has been nominated for the Audible.co.uk Best Audiobook Award.

This year's awards will be announced on 4th November. In the meantime, The Player of Games is available as an audio download from Audible.co.uk, Audible.com (for US-based listeners) and the iTunes store.

Iain Banks Pens Charity Anthology Foreword

October 7th, 2011 in From the Author

Iain has asked us to pass on the following message:

"I'm patron of a local charity for victims of abuse called Safe Space. They've just brought out a booklet of writing by some of the survivors and I've written the foreword. The booklet costs £5.00, is called 'The Hope of Diamonds' and the address of:

Safe Space
29B Ling House
Canmore Street
Dunfermline
KY 12 7NU

or: contact@safe-space.co.uk."

More information about the charity can be found at their website: www.safe-space.co.uk.

Guardian Masterclass with Alan Spence and Iain Banks

October 6th, 2011 in Event News

A Guardian Masterclass writing course will be taking place in Edinburgh over the weekend of 12th - 13th November, 2011.

Writing tutor Alan Spence will be leading course attendees through a series of sessions designed to help aspiring writers hone thier skills. Guest tutor Iain Banks will be leading one of the sessions.

Tickets are £400 and there are only 15 places available. More details from www.guardian.co.uk.

The Wasp Factory, BBC Radio 4 Bookclub, Sunday Nov 6th

September 21st, 2011 in TV, Radio & Film, UK-Specific

The Banksoniain's David H informs us that:

"The Wasp Factory will be featured on the BBC Radio 4 programme Bookclub on Sunday November 6th (and repeated on the 10th). It was recorded in Edinburgh on Monday."

There's no scheduled programme information on the R4 Bookclub page just yet, so keep an eye out for confirmation nearer the time, or check the Bookclub iPlayer page after Nov 6th for online access.

Update: Scheduling Info as follows:

BBC Radio 4 Book Club with Jim Naughtie – 4pm on 06.11.11 and 4pm on 10.11.11 as well as Podcast on i-player.

See www.bbc.co.uk for more information.

Free Iain Banks Event, Edinburgh, 28 Sept 2011

September 21st, 2011 in Event News, UK-Specific

Iain Banks will be taking part in reading event at the University of Edinburgh next Wednesday, 28th September.

The event has been organised by the School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures at the University of Edinburgh and admission is free.

See www.word-power.co.uk for details.

Thanks to David H of The Banksoniain for the heads-up.

Iain Banks on Channel 5's Gadget Show, 23 Sept 2011

September 14th, 2011 in TV, Radio & Film, UK-Specific

Iain Banks will be appearing on The Gadget Show on Channel 5 on Friday 23rd September at 20:00.

From RadioTimes.com:

"Season 16 Episode 6 sees Suzi Perry and Ortis Deley create their own interactive e-books, using digital technology to revamp two classic novels - Jules Verne's Around the World in 80 Days and Bram Stoker's Dracula. Best-selling author Iain Banks judges the results of their task. Repeated on Saturday 24 at 04:30 and 10:50."

Many thanks as usual to The Banksoniain's David H for the heads-up.

Iain Banks at Get Moray Reading Book Festival

September 2nd, 2011 in Event News, UK-Specific

Iain Banks will be one of the major names appearing at this year's Get Moray Reading Book Festival, which runs from 21st - 24th September.

Iain will be appearing at 19.00 on Thursday 22nd. More details at the festival website. And here's the full programme of events [pdf link].

Thanks (as usual) to David H of The Banksonian for the heads-up.

Banks for World Book Night

July 21st, 2011 in Awards & Accolades, UK-Specific

The Wasp Factory has made it onto the top 100 long-list for World Book Night.

If you're as keen as we are to see a Banks book on the final list of 25 that will be sent out to thousands of participating readers, you can do your bit to make that happen by creating an account on the worldbooknight.org website and then choosing The Wasp Factory as one of your favourite books.

Voting closes on the 31st of August, folks.