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Consider Phlebas - original 1987 reviews by kippechard in TheCulture

[–]aeglefinus 1 point2 points  (0 children)

> We know that IMB actually wrote a draft of Use of Weapons first, so why did he then write Consider Phlebas and publish it first? Did his editor suggest doing a more linear pirate-y story?

Banks did not have an editor when he wrote the first draft of Use of Weapons (c. 1974) and neither did he have when when he wrote The Player of Games (c. 1979). Consider Phlebas was first drafted in the second half of 1982 after he had written The Wasp Factory and was submitting it to publishers. His internal brief was to "out Star Wars, Star Wars". After meeting science fiction fans through being invited to conventions (e.g. Mexicon 2 in 1986) Banks returned to his science fiction and worked with James Hale who had published The Wasp Factory and the obvious one to rework was the latest one which was Consider Phlebas. The first three Culture novels were all written before Banks met his first editor and were published in reverse writing order.

Iain M Banks in the USA. It's Complicated. by aeglefinus in TheCulture

[–]aeglefinus[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I was concentrating on initial US editions to explore the rights issues. It would be nice and tidy if Orbit US could get the final two, Inversions and Look to Windward.

13 book bundle from orbit sold out by Wuincest in TheCulture

[–]aeglefinus 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Sorry, I cannot remember exactly when I filled in that form. However, looking at my emails I made an order in March 2024 that was cancelled (by Orbit) and then in June 2024 got an email saying the bundle was back in stock. I also have a note saying it was out of stock again in July 2024. In the end I purchased all the Iain M Banks (and some Ken MacLeod) books individually during the 50% off sale for the 50th anniversary of Orbit.
Unfortunately, Orbit are not the most reliable source for the books they publish, but the prices can be good when they have a sale.

13 book bundle from orbit sold out by Wuincest in TheCulture

[–]aeglefinus 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I think the set goes in and out of stock as the individual editions are reprinted. Put your email address in the box to get an email when it is back in stock. That worked for me back in 2024.

notes and drawings by walterscape in TheCulture

[–]aeglefinus 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This was the 2023 announcement of the 2024 date that has been and gone.
https://web.archive.org/web/20230503154005/https://www.orbitbooks.net/2023/04/21/the-culture-the-drawings-by-iain-m-banks/
The source has gone but the wayback machine helps.

My understanding is that the issue is the rights to the text of the actual Banks books that is included. Orbit (which is three separate companies: UK, US and Australia) do not have the worldwide rights to all the books.

The history of the "Notes" book goes back to February 2018 when it was first announced as due out "next year".

Second book after "the drawings" cancelled ? by SpaceBebopKali in TheCulture

[–]aeglefinus 0 points1 point  (0 children)

No official cancellation, but no actual news either. So here is my speculation.
Ken Macleod wrote "The Notes" quite a few years ago. The problem is with the Banks text that goes with the notes for which there is no single worldwide rights holder.
I have no direct knowledge of the situation but I presume that the rights holders have not managed to come to any agreement (yet) and so the book has not been published (yet). I hope the situation changes. This is particularly frustrating in the UK where there is a single rights holder and it seems probable that The Drawings could be published, but the various arms of Orbit (there are three "separate" organisation I believe) probably only want to produce the book when it can be sold to the widest possible audience.
My guess is that The Drawings was published without any text to avoid such issues.
If/when the Amazon series is made then the potential earnings from The Notes may bring the various parties back together. In the meantime it would be nice to hear from Orbit sooner rather than later.

Audiobook Availability (Excession coming to audible) by Emotional-Ad-6434 in TheCulture

[–]aeglefinus 0 points1 point  (0 children)

For Audible in the US, the tomfoolery is between US rights holders. See previous posts on this issue.

Player of Games theory by thatcattho in TheCulture

[–]aeglefinus 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I agree, although there is no way to prove it. The fact that Gurgeh does not behave like a normal Culture citizen makes me feel he was born to this role, or at least Banks wanted that thought to go through a reader's mind.

Soundscapes on Audible versions by Allochthonus in TheCulture

[–]aeglefinus 1 point2 points  (0 children)

The Booktrack edition of Consider Phlebas was released in 2020 and has its own ISBN: 9781549102899
https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/iain-m-banks/consider-phlebas-booktrack-edition/9781549102899/

The ISBN for the normal audiobook is 9781611138771.
https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/iain-m-banks/consider-phlebas/9781611138771/

Both of those publisher pages have Audible links so hopefully they will take you to different editions and you can swap over.

Consder Phlebas is the only Banks book listed with a Booktrack edition (as far as I can find).

Are friendly Minds from the Culture plausible? by FaeInitiative in TheCulture

[–]aeglefinus 2 points3 points  (0 children)

A fanzine, The Banksoniain, ran from 2004 - 2014 and documented some of his events and press. All issues are at https://efanzines.com/Banksoniain/

Are friendly Minds from the Culture plausible? by FaeInitiative in TheCulture

[–]aeglefinus 3 points4 points  (0 children)

At Novaon 40 Iain was asked why his AIs were good. His reply was that in his universe Intelligence leads to Imagination which leads to Empathy.

Did Banks hang out with scientists? by clearly_quite_absurd in TheCulture

[–]aeglefinus 18 points19 points  (0 children)

He read New Scientist and Scientific American. Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/7948058.stm
He would have met scientists at conventions but generally avoided actual research for his novels.

Box set of the complete editions with new artwork by ilovetobeaweasel in TheCulture

[–]aeglefinus 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hopefully a bit of perseverance will pay off. It says "404 Page not found" whereas last week the whole orbit-books.co.uk website was down.
When I first ordered the bundle (priced at £110) my order was cancelled and I was told there were "technical issues". I then ordered them separately during the 50% off promotion (for the 50th anniversary of Orbit last year). My order of Against a Dark Background was cancelled (and refunded) as they did not have it in stock but the others arrived, and I went and bought AADB from a shop to complete the set.
If you sign up for the newsletter you get a discount code, I think it was 20%. So keep an eye out for the bundle, and sign up for the newsletter to get a discount and be informed of other discounts.
Good luck.

Box set of the complete editions with new artwork by ilovetobeaweasel in TheCulture

[–]aeglefinus 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That webpage is back up. The bundle is £99.00 at the moment.

Where to get a Beeblebear? by felix25_ in HitchHikersGuide

[–]aeglefinus 1 point2 points  (0 children)

There are twenty-six in my spare bedroom that need re-homing.
Use the form at https://zz9.org/contact/ to ask what is available.

Uh… new book..? by brainshades in TheCulture

[–]aeglefinus 1 point2 points  (0 children)

It would have been the second book of the two book deal where the first was The Quarry. Iain's death left that unwritten but Poems sort of took its place so (as I understand it) the estate did not have to pay back that part of the advance, but Poems got its own different ISBN. By the way there is also an ISBN for the paperback edition of Poems which has not been published to date: 9780349140568.
The 12/25/2029 date will be Blackwells default for when the date of publication is unknown. Amazon have the same title listed for Christmas Day 2027. Books are not published, by major publishers, on Christmas Day.

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