Iain Banks interviewed for The Edinburgh Evening News

March 25th, 2008 in Global, Interviews

Iain talks to Edinburgh Evening News interviewer Sandra Dick about his writing habits, his political views and his hankering for the Tesla Roadster...

'Matter' reviewed by RJ Barker for SFCrowsNest.com

March 23rd, 2008 in Global, Reviews

In a lengthy and detailed review for www.computercrowsnest.com, RJ Barker says:

"Dipping back into 'The Culture' felt like a joyous return to a long missed and familiar place. Banks has such a clever way with words that he makes it seem effortless and you don't realise how cleverly he constructs brilliantly clear images."

Iain Banks to appear as GoH at 2008 Oslo Science Fiction Festival

March 22nd, 2008 in Appearances & Events, Global

Iain will be making an appearance as Guest of Honour at this year's Oslo Science Fiction Festival, which takes place from Thursday July 31st to Sunday August 3rd at Helga Eng's House, Blindern, University of Oslo.

More information on the Festival at www.oslosf.no.

[Thanks to DaveH of 'The Banksoniain' for the heads-up]

Cumbernauld Theatre Company touring 'The Wasp Factory', April – June 2008

March 21st, 2008 in Appearances & Events, UK-Specific

Doug Martin of Glasgow's Tron Theatre has been in touch with the details of a forthcoming tour of the Cumbernauld Theatre company's production of The Wasp Factory.

Here's the press release:

The Tron Theatre is thrilled to announce that Cumbernauld Theatre will premiere their new production of Iain Banks' celebrated cult novel, The Wasp Factory, at the Tron, from 17th

Iain Banks and Ken MacLeod AyeWrite! appearance – video available

March 20th, 2008 in Appearances & Events, Global

If you didn't manage to get to Glasgow for the AyeWrite! Book Festival earlier this month and therefore missed the on-stage appearance of Iain Banks and Ken MacLeod, then do not despair, you now have a chance to catch up...

A video excerpt of the reading and discussion session has now been posted over at the AyeWrite website. And you can download a full MP3 recording of the event if you prefer to listen at a later date, which has also been posted as a Podcast to iTunes.

[Thanks to DaveH of 'The Banksoniain' for the heads-up]

Iain (M) Banks confirmed as Guest of Honour for Satellite 2, July 25th-26th 2009

March 19th, 2008 in Appearances & Events, Global

Iain Banks will be the Guest of Honour at Satellite 2, a convention being be held at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Glasgow over the weekend of July 25th and 26th, 2009.

Early days yet, so more details will be forthcoming at a later date, but memberships are already available from www.satellite2.org.uk.

[Thanks to DaveH of 'The Banksoniain' for the heads-up]

'Matter' review posted on Slashdot

March 19th, 2008 in Global, Reviews

Reviewer Simon DeDeo has posted a review of Matter up on Slashdot. Simon makes a very intriguing point about the underlying 'Britishness' of The Culture:

"Banks' prose is free-flowing and liberally dosed with a kind of cynical, post-colonial British humanism; as the Culture meddles and blunders Banks' narrators look on with a sad half-smile. The British charm appears also in his characterization of the artificially intelligent machines, who often play Jeeves to more fallible, biological, Bertie Woosters."

Read the full review over at books.slashdot.org. And check out the (long and mighty) comments threads that ensue for a wide-ranging discussion on Matter, The Culture, the best Culture books to read, other space opera authors to try, all sorts of good stuff...

[Thanks to Gary W for the heads-up]

Iain Banks to appear at Latitude Festival 2008

March 19th, 2008 in Appearances & Events, UK-Specific

Iain has been confirmed as one of the leading lights of the line-up for the Literary Arena at this year's Latitude Festival, which takes place at Henham Park, Southwold in Suffolk from Thursday 17th to Sunday 20th July.

Iain will be appearing on the same bill as fellow literary heavyweights Hanif Kureishi, A L Kennedy and Irvine Welsh. Check out the Latitude 2008 website for the full line-up of bands, writers, comedians and poets.

[Thanks to DaveH of 'The Banksoniain' for the heads-up]

SFX Book Club: Tom Holt on 'The Player of Games'

March 14th, 2008 in Global, Reviews

SFX has posted an archive of Book Club articles from the print edition of the magazine, which includes author Tom Holt's notes on The Player of Games.

Mr Holt sums up the book: "By Banks's standards it

Iain Banks interviewed for The Independent

March 12th, 2008 in Global, Interviews

Cole Moreton interviewed Iain for British daily The Independent back at the beginning of the month. The interviewer was very interested in Iain's politics and the fact that he's now renewed his UK passport, which he famously cut up and sent to Number 10, Downing Street in protest at the UK's involvement in the Iraq War.

Style-watchers will note that Iain is also very pleased indeed with his new leather jacket...

Out Now: Iain Banks' 'The Wasp Factory', Audio CD, read by Peter Kenny

March 6th, 2008 in Audiobook News, Global

A brand new audio adaptation of Iain Banks' career-launching debut novel, The Wasp Factory, is available now on CD Audiobook from Hachette Audio.

The narrator is Peter Kenny, an actor and singer who has worked widely in theatre and broadcasting, appearing with, amongst others, the Royal Shakespeare Company, A&BC, Coventry Belgrade, and the BBC Radio Repertory Company.

Click on the cover for more info on The Wasp Factory:

Iain Banks interviewed and 'Matter' reviewed for Time Magazine Online

March 4th, 2008 in Global, Interviews

Lev Grossman has posted a review of Matter over at www.Time.com as well as an interview with Iain, which you can find over at his and Matt Selman's Time.com hosted Nerd World blog.

In the interview, Iain reveals the secret of his amazing ability to transcribe fluent technobabble almost as if he were making it all up:

"I suspect it's just the right balance of wide-eyed, totally fascinated enthusiasm for 'real' tech speak along with a healthy dose of cynicism regarding how easy it is to make up such stuff without really having any idea what in the hell you're talking about. I am happy to report I have both, in spades."

Read the full interview at time-blog.com/nerd_world and thanks again to Alex for the heads-up.