Iain M. Banks's Blog

October 28, 2009

Last week's big Banks buzz (which broke while I was away on holiday, hence the late posting here - apologies for that to everyone who came looking for a timely update and didn't find one...) is about the prospect of a film adaptation of the short story 'A Gift From the Culture', which was first published in issue #20 of Interzone, the UK's longest-running science fiction magazine, and is more readily available in the Iain M collection The State of the Art.

Various websites carry versions of t...

0 comments Published on October 28, 2009 05:09 | 30 views

September 29, 2009

You may have noticed that www.iain-banks.net has been offline for the past few days. That's because we've been re-decorating and have given the place a bit of a brush-up and dusting-down, courtesy of the fine folks at Kino Creative, who've I'm sure you'll agree have done a marvellous job.

The site is back in action now, as you'll have noticed if you're reading this article on the Latest News page. On the other hand, if you're reading on RSS, do click on over to the website, take a quick look ...

0 comments Published on September 29, 2009 04:08 | 8 views

A new Iain [M:] Banks book is always going to generate plenty of review coverage and conversation around the blogosphere and Transition, with its blend of literary and sf-nal tropes and themes, has certainly carried on that trend.

Here's a round-up of some of the pieces of online coverage that have caught our eye in the past few weeks:

Michael Marshall, reviewing for The New Scientist commented on Transition high-quality construction: "Banks deploys his usual complex structure, using multiple n...

0 comments Published on September 29, 2009 04:04 | 11 views

September 21, 2009

Anna Metcalfe sends a series of quick-fire questions in Iain's direction for a 'Small Talk' feature over www.ft.com. Questions like: "What is the strangest thing you've done when researching a book?" (Answer: "Using the equation e=mc2 to work out the explosive yield of very small quantities of antimatter, to determine how small an effective nano-missile could be.")


0 comments Published on September 21, 2009 02:26 | 1 view

September 18, 2009

The New Statesman website has posted an interview with Iain carried out by none other than Ken Livingstone.


Yes, that Ken Livignstone, the former Mayor of London. Turns out he's something of an sf fan: he name-checks David Brin and mentions putting in an appearance at the Brighton SF Festival in 1987, and says he reads sf classics. You live and learn, eh?


Read the full piece at www.newstatesman.com.


0 comments Published on September 18, 2009 09:20

September 17, 2009

In a feature-length interview piece posted to The Guardian's website, Maxton Walker talks to Iain about whether or not Transition can (or should) be interpreted as a literary attack on American foreign policy and his attitude towards torture as a weapon in the fight against terrorism. They also discuss the Transition serial podcast and how current trends in the publishing industry are affecting Iain and other writers.


Good reading over at www.guardian.co.uk.


0 comments Published on September 17, 2009 02:46

September 16, 2009

The Independent's website is running an interview with Iain conducted by Arifa Akbar. Discussions range across Iain's plans to write a symphony, the concept of "Christian terrorism" in Transition, the effect that the passing of his father, Robert, in June has had on his personal life and writing alike, and the contrast between his generally sunny disposition and the dark mood to be found in most of his books.


Well worth a visit to www.independent.co.uk to read the full article.


0 comments Published on September 16, 2009 02:51

September 15, 2009

In an interview posted on The Scotsman's website, Aidan Smith asks Iain about Transition, as well as topics as diverse as his friendly rivalry with fellow Fife-resident Ian Rankin, drugs, the women in his life and his opinion of Prime Minister Gordon Brown ("I'm only a little disappointed in him. He's not a war criminal like Tony Blair, he's been unlucky, but he has ballsed up.")


Read the full interview at news.scotsman.com.


0 comments Published on September 15, 2009 02:23 | 1 view

September 14, 2009

Iain Banks will be a guest on the Simon Mayo show on BBC Radio 5 Live, today, Monday 14th September, at 13.00 hours.


That is all.


Thanks yet again to Dave H of the Banksoniain for the heads-up!


0 comments Published on September 14, 2009 02:43 | 2 views

September 10, 2009

Iain Banks will be a guest on BBC Radio 6's Cerys on 6, next Tuesday, September 15th, from 13.00. He'll be talking to presenter Cerys Matthews about his new novel Transition.


More info at the BBC Radio 6 website.


Thanks to Dave H of The Banksoniain for the heads-up!


0 comments Published on September 10, 2009 04:03

Iain M. Banks's blog

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