My favourite book. Ever. I've travelled the world. I bought it when I was in college many years ago. I'm 52. It has strengthened the base of many a travel bag over the years. A constant companion of escapism. Can you imagine a movie of this book!
Thanks for the upload! I've read all of the books in The Culture series and went back a few months ago and listened to all of the audiobooks. Peter Kenny is one of the best narrators I've ever heard, surpassed only by Harlan Ellison's performance for Le Guin's A Wizard of Earthsea.
I’m so grateful for this upload. I’m going through terrible times because my wife is unwell, so this audiobook version of a novel I enjoyed reading years ago is a welcome distraction.
Thank you . Read the culture series many years ago and now listening to this through my headphones . I'm taking a break away from everything, because the world seems so depressing right now
1:04:57 chapter 3 1:39:18 chapter 4 .. temple of light 2:49:25 state of play one 3:14:45 mega ship 🚢 chapter 5 6:18:19 Interlude in darkness chapter 6 6:30:49 a game of damage chapter 7 8:11:22 chapter 8 the ends of invention
Years ago i left a comment on a site raving about Iain M Banks. A month later he was dead. A stranger read my comment and send me a message of commiseration. It turned out the stranger was a women. We got on well. 5 months later we got engaged. 10 years married with 2 kids now. 😊
@@Grey_Area-r2s Excession is awesome: is that the one with the ‘outside context problem in it?’…. It’s been many years since I read the Culture novels, I should go back and re read my faves. But yeah, I reckon the composer character in Look to Windward is a kind of self portrait! And that passage with all the Culture ship names in it always makes me laugh out loud, I will never forget that novel…. Banks is a genius, but I think too many people start with Consider and dismiss the Culture novels before really digging into them.
@@carlkligerman1981 @carlkligerman1981 You're right, Excession is the one with the OCP. It's definitely his most tech-heavy outing. I've re-read LTW so many times but the subtext only became totally clear to me during last year's reading. Also, It's often puzzled me how little discussion there is about the Culture novels generally..They'd make a great sci-fi series!
I agree I mean this whole cannibal scene lasted for so long that I honestly just lost interest because it’s like this is bordering on like blood pornography or something and I’m like you know when are we gonna get to the fucking point? When are we gonna go to the action it just seems like, I don’t know. I mean part of me wants to keep reading because it’s so influential but I I’m pretty sure I’m done. Life is short and reading 10 books when it starts out with a 45 minute cannibal scene I just can’t.
Well...each to their own. It does have the least complicated plot and structure of all of Banks' sci-fi novels. That said, the more the Culture series goes on, the more impressive these things become. If it's not for you then that's fine, but it's just a ridiculously inflated and arrogant thing to dismiss the rest of the Culture novels with, especially if you have not read any more of them.. Looking forward to reading your incisive, original and highly professional Ouvre instead.
@@architechofreality The book doesn't "start" with the religious community. Banks was a radical humanist, and chapter 6 contains a critique and less than flattering portrait of a cult. That's all - and it moves the story along. It's VERY Manson Family. To be honest, the series might not be for you, although if you avoid Use Of Weapons, you should be all right.
Thank you , Thank you , Thank you for uploading this audiobook. ❤❤❤
To upload this, with no ads, shows the uploader to be a jewel within its culture. Thank you kindly, please do not change beyond recognition.
Yes the uploader is magnificent ❤
Well said
@@bubaks2 @davids4313 you guys. love live the culture
My favourite book. Ever.
I've travelled the world. I bought it when I was in college many years ago. I'm 52. It has strengthened the base of many a travel bag over the years. A constant companion of escapism.
Can you imagine a movie of this book!
I'd love to see a high-budget netflix Culture series
We are about to live it folks.
Give ai a bit more time, and it will be able to generate a nice movie just from the book
Thank you. Well read. I read all Iain M Bank's books years ago. Listening to the audio books now is a special pleasure
I'm not enjoying it at around the 5:30:00 mark.
"Immaculate Narration". Not just the name of a GSV. Thanks for this.
Narrative Gravitas Indeed
Thanks for the upload! I've read all of the books in The Culture series and went back a few months ago and listened to all of the audiobooks. Peter Kenny is one of the best narrators I've ever heard, surpassed only by Harlan Ellison's performance for Le Guin's A Wizard of Earthsea.
Someone on reddit said that banks was the goat. So now here I am.
Im here because Damian Walters on the scifiction podcast did in depth enthusiasm for this trilogy & inspired me to check it out
@@garrenosborne9623 which book is this one??
Someone was right wrt his "Culture" novels. Banks' fiction novels, just fair.
I wouldn't say GOAT, but he is very good and well worth ready/listening.
Banks IS the GOAT. Look to Windward is my favourite.
I’m so grateful for this upload. I’m going through terrible times because my wife is unwell, so this audiobook version of a novel I enjoyed reading years ago is a welcome distraction.
I will say a little prayer for you and your wife tonight.
best wishes and God Speed
Thank you .
Read the culture series many years ago and now listening to this through my headphones .
I'm taking a break away from everything, because the world seems so depressing right now
1:04:57 chapter 3
1:39:18 chapter 4 .. temple of light
2:49:25 state of play one
3:14:45 mega ship 🚢 chapter 5
6:18:19 Interlude in darkness chapter 6
6:30:49 a game of damage chapter 7
8:11:22 chapter 8 the ends of invention
Ty!
You finished it before me! Hahaha thank you friend
@@bubaks2 amazing books 📚 I just heard about the culture series a few months ago 😀
@@h92ome too by Brian Scott❤
I love the culture novels. Rereadable books for sure. Great narration here. Thanks from an increasingly blind old sf fan.😅
Years ago i left a comment on a site raving about Iain M Banks. A month later he was dead. A stranger read my comment and send me a message of commiseration. It turned out the stranger was a women. We got on well. 5 months later we got engaged. 10 years married with 2 kids now. 😊
Happy wife equals happy life. I wish her and you a happy life and a long marriage.
5:51 Chapter 1
22:32 Chapter 2
1:04:56 Chapter 3
I am listening to all the culture series of books 📚 I am time stamping key changes not all the books have chapters
Very good narration!
Thanks for the upload 🙂
Amazing thank you
Thanks for listening 😊 the whole series is available on this channel
Thanks for this. Great job on this narration.
Coincidentally I recommended Banks and this "Culture" novel specifically to someone earlier today.
thank you ❤❤ keep updating you are amazing
Been looking for this. Thanks
Did anyone else slow this down to 75%
Levitating with barely suppressed glee :)
Thank you for the upload ❤
🤍
3:14:49 chapter 5: Megaship
thanks very much
Very nice.
2:27:00
20:59
5:46
Jasper Vista
Amazing book many parallels in real life,
Usa = idrians china = culture
And changers are like taiwan
China, the fabled anarchist utopia with a neoliberal foreign policy.
47:07
Not his best - but my first
Mine too. Agree: my fave will always be Look to Windward
Same!
Look to Windward
is for sure my favourite...
...Excession and Player of Games joint 2nd place.
@@Grey_Area-r2s Excession is awesome: is that the one with the ‘outside context problem in it?’…. It’s been many years since I read the Culture novels, I should go back and re read my faves. But yeah, I reckon the composer character in Look to Windward is a kind of self portrait! And that passage with all the Culture ship names in it always makes me laugh out loud, I will never forget that novel…. Banks is a genius, but I think too many people start with Consider and dismiss the Culture novels before really digging into them.
@@carlkligerman1981 @carlkligerman1981 You're right, Excession is the one with the OCP. It's definitely his most tech-heavy outing. I've re-read LTW so many times but the subtext only became totally clear to me during last year's reading. Also, It's often puzzled me how little discussion there is about the Culture novels generally..They'd make a great sci-fi series!
@@carlkligerman1981ps The reader here is excellent.
10:13
I truly wanted to like this book. I've heard people rave about it. The series has enormous hype. Sadly I found it trite and amateurish.
I agree I mean this whole cannibal scene lasted for so long that I honestly just lost interest because it’s like this is bordering on like blood pornography or something and I’m like you know when are we gonna get to the fucking point? When are we gonna go to the action it just seems like, I don’t know. I mean part of me wants to keep reading because it’s so influential but I I’m pretty sure I’m done. Life is short and reading 10 books when it starts out with a 45 minute cannibal scene I just can’t.
At first I didn't understand what you meant. By the end I think I do. Contains too much plot armour. Stuff just happens. Disappointing.
Well...each to their own. It does have the least complicated plot and structure of all of Banks' sci-fi novels. That said, the more the Culture series goes on, the more impressive these things become. If it's not for you then that's fine, but it's just a ridiculously inflated and arrogant thing to dismiss the rest of the Culture novels with, especially if you have not read any more of them.. Looking forward to reading your incisive, original and highly professional Ouvre instead.
I await your deep, profound and highly professional oeuvre with baited breath.
@@architechofreality The book doesn't "start" with the religious community. Banks was a radical humanist, and chapter 6 contains a critique and less than flattering portrait of a cult. That's all - and it moves the story along. It's VERY Manson Family. To be honest, the series might not be for you, although if you avoid Use Of Weapons, you should be all right.
Is this an entry in to a speed reading contest?
0.85 speed works decent imo
It is amazingly fast. I listen at .75 and it is a great speed
Chapters and time stamps are needed.. 😂
you're right I'll get to it eventually. You can command F the transcript in the meantime 🤍🙏
@@Killingtime42thanks for the tip!
Sounds complicated 😅😂
@@Jaymark-gk4li try typing your confusion into google!
@Ikw__ wow, never thought of that. Doh ! .lol
"Flea-bas"!? seriously? think it needed a scottish accent rather than an english one.
Yeah, that's how it's pronounced. How do you pronounce "Phlebas"?
Peh helli bas! 😂
Phlebas was Phoenician. Don't know what their accents were like but Flea-bas, or maybe Flea-bus, is correct.
A Phoenician created by an American/English poet
@@luciddaze248 True!
Narrator is en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Kenny -- isn't he wonderful!