I am FINALLY finished with this book!

It took FOREVER!

I have been spending countless hours poring over its pages, eager to reach the end.

But I have to say that the ending was good enough that it was mostly worth it :)

The story had its ups and downs, with some parts dragging a little too long.

However, when I reached the conclusion, it tied up most of the loose ends and provided a satisfying resolution.

The characters had developed well throughout the book, and I felt a sense of connection to them.

Overall, although the journey to finish this book was a long one, I am glad that I stuck with it.

I would recommend this book to others who are looking for a challenging read with a rewarding ending.

I continue to have very mixed experiences with Ian (M.) Banks' fiction.

‘The Algebraist’ was recommended to me a couple of years ago, and I started reading it under the misapprehension that it was a Culture novel. It is set in the far future, but in a much more unstable and disunited world than the Culture.

Possibly an alternate future in which AIs were declared anathema and hunted down, rather than taking charge? The main character, Fassin Taak, is a human trained to communicate with Dwellers.

These incredibly long-lived beings are found in gas giants all around the galaxy and have little interest in the doings of the short-lived. They are whimsical, capricious, and remarkably callous, with a fascinating society that Fassin gradually discovers as he goes on a quest.

The setup for this quest is, in my opinion, unnecessarily lengthy. Several hundred pages could have been cut with no great loss. As in his other sci-fi, Banks found time to include a horrific scene of esoteric torture with absolutely no plot relevance.

The high quality writing and compelling concepts kept me interested, but the pace was frustratingly slow at times.

What I really enjoyed was the world-building concerning the Dwellers and other alien species. Humans seemed dull and militaristic by comparison.

My favourite aliens were the Ythyn, who turned up after 400 pages to take a very minor role in the plot.

Despite disliking his torture scenes, I can definitely appreciate Banks’ macabre imagination. There are some fantastic ideas in ‘The Algebraist’ concerning the implications of interstellar travel, the difficulties of interspecies communication, and the nature of reality.

Fassin and several friends from his youth provide the point of view characters, yet they seem relatively petty, small, and uninteresting in comparison to Dweller timescales.

Still, Fassin is a thoughtful protagonist and his friendships with aliens add some emotion to the plot, which is largely focused on impersonal technological and sociopolitical forces.

There are some spectacular scenes and very satisfying plot twists, especially the AI reveal and the wormholes at the centre of gas giants.

Dwellers may be jerks who hunt their children for sport, but they still seem more sensible and ethical than humans so their smugness felt justified.

I was disappointed that Luseferous ran away rather than suffering any personal consequences (such as death) for his utter lack of redeeming features.

His purpose in the narrative seemed to be making every other character seem less appalling by comparison. It was nice that his subordinate hated him sufficiently to call him a cunt with their dying breath, though.

Overall I did enjoy this voyage between stars to meet strange aliens, however more rigorous editing would have made it better. The plot doesn’t half meander.

Luseferous had undergone various enhancements to his genitals. One notable improvement was the presence of glands within his body. These glands enabled him to produce a wide variety of secretions that his ejaculate could then transport into the bodies of others. However, he was immune to the effects of these secretions himself. The secretions included irritants, hallucinogens, cannabinoids, capsainoids (sic), sleeping draughts, and truth serums. He briefly entered a state of little-death little-trance, a petit mal, which allowed him to select one of these secretions. In this case, he chose the truth drug. He took the girl anally as it was a faster-acting method.

This book was truly abysmal. Both the so-called "science" and the "fiction" aspects were severely lacking. A young male randomly and haplessly finds himself at the center of and integral to grand intragalactic political events. Just like in Twilight, where the main character is often criticized as an "empty vessel" for the reader to embody, every science fiction book with a young male thrust into a grand adventure by chance or circumstance seems to follow the same pattern. The plot is filled with confusion and the resolution is as unconvincing as a magician claiming to have made the water disappear by hiding a wet rag behind his back. The character and emotional development is simplistic and straightforward, much like that in a youth novel.

I really have only myself to blame for buying this book. I was initially attracted by the title and, in part, by the gorgeous cover image. The title, "algebraist," is indeed a beautiful word, rich in etymology and imagery. However, this book fails to live up to its promising title. Someone needs to write a better book to do justice to this wonderful title.

Iain Banks presents a non-Culture sci-fi adventure that delves into the captivating topic of the relativity of morality. The aliens here are essentially humans in alien guise, with not much effort put into presenting a truly alien perspective. However, it remains utterly fascinating. Many of the characters, both alien and otherwise, are either sympathetic or fearsome creations. The world/universe-building is expansive, as is typical of Banks. There are real narrative surprises from start to finish. The novel's Villain with a capital V is almost a parody, as if specifically crafted to confound reader expectations.

In the twists and turns of the protagonist's backstory and motivations, one can discern the author's genuine sympathy for those who oppose authoritarianism. It's also interesting to contrast the perspective on AIs in this novel with that in the Culture novels. Through the demonization of artificial intelligence in this universe, Banks effectively showcases the horror (and stupidity) of demonizing and oppressing any community.

What I didn't relish were the numerous descriptions of an alien species' penchant for enslaving, tormenting, and killing their young. Maybe that's just me, but I understood the reason for its frequent inclusion. Still, it was appalling and left a bad taste. They were some rather loveable aliens until those noxious activities spoiled it all! Ugh. Well, I guess that's just Iain Banks, the stridently moral moral relativist. He'll never let me have my cake and eat it too. So annoying! But in such a good way.

This review is part of a longer article on Iain Banks posted on Shelf Inflicted. That article also contains a self-indulgent rant about a blog post that I found infuriatingly moronic; my apologies in advance.

My husband and I were at a bookstore when a stranger approached my husband.

The man handed him a book and said, “I think you’ll want to try this one.” We were intrigued, so we bought it.

Before starting to read, I knew nothing about the author or the book.

Overall, I found the book to be enjoyable. However, there were long sections that seemed to drag on and felt rather forced.

The author, Banks, has a tendency to go on lengthy explanations that don't seem necessary for the plot to progress. Some of these explanations might have been better placed in an appendix rather than in the main body of the novel.

Also, many of the characters seemed to blend together, and the scenes were sometimes cut in a way that made it difficult to figure out what had happened.

Despite these flaws, the end of the book does have a nice payoff. But in the end, I'm not entirely sure if it was worth all the effort.

I am an ardent lover of Iain Banks and his M. alter ego. There were moments when I found myself slogging through certain parts of this book out of sheer loyalty. If it had been someone else's work, I would have unhesitatingly tossed the book aside. I recognize, therefore, that some portions of this book are a bit like trudging on the muddy moors in the rain.

However, once the arduous trudging was over, I discovered that the reward was indeed worthwhile. This isn't Banks' best book set in space, but it did give me numerous things to ponder upon. And like Feersum Endjin (though not as intensely), the Algebraist is better than it initially appears.

So, what were the things that made me think? There were plenty of elements that I glimpsed out of the corner of my reading eye but didn't have the energy to fully engage with. My mind was in a somewhat dark and sanguine state while reading, and thus I found myself most captivated by the violence in the piece and how it manifested from one character to another. Okay, I was interested in one particular aspect, and even within that one thing, I think I was only intrigued by one part of it.

What part was that? It was how we choose the victims of our violence. This book is filled with almost every conceivable motive for violence, and even includes motiveless acts of violence. There are also instances of violence that occur through acts of omission, beneficence, or ignorance.

Violence might be Banks' one great overarching theme, the core of each and every book he has written. But most of the time, he focuses on one or two specific kinds of violence and one or two motives for it. This time, however, he has created an opera of violence, sort of a heady, Sci-Fi version of Kill Bill, only one where the author had a profound examination of violence in mind, rather than simply splashing buckets of blood to create a visually striking scene.

I doubt I'll return to this book anytime soon, but I am glad that I finally managed to get through it. There aren't many Banks books left for me to read, so who knows? I might just find myself coming back to this one in a year or two after all.

Over a month to read! I truly loved this book.

I found the universe described within it to be extremely intriguing. The Ulubis solar system was fascinating, and the few races that we learned about were equally interesting.

The time of year and the writing style both contributed to the slowness of my read. Bank's writing is dense, with not much punctuation, which forced me to slow down a bit.

Alien secrets, societies attempting to remain in control and relevant, roaming around gas giants, looney alien characters, and AIs - it's a perfect sci-fi novel.

The Dweller's treatment of their children was both horrifying and hysterical. I honestly didn't know which side Aun Liss was going to land on until the very end.

Definitely re-readable, I felt there was so much that I missed and would have enjoyed. The novel is really packed with fun items to think about.

I gave it 4 stars instead of 5 because it was difficult to get through some parts. Bank's doesn't need to stuff THAT much into every sentence.

Perhaps with a second reading, I'll be able to fully appreciate all the nuances and details that I might have overlooked the first time around.

Overall, it was a great read that kept me engaged and entertained throughout.

The Algebraist by Iain M. Banks is my initial encounter with this author, and boy, does he seem rather scattered in this particular book. It appears as if he is unable to precisely determine what he desires to convey within its pages. This has indeed caused me some concern regarding his other works.

There were numerous elements in this book that were likable. The aliens and worlds were richly imagined. The existence of a race of “slow” beings that live for billions of years, influencing their culture, morals, and interactions with the rest of the universe, was an interesting concept. Additionally, the plot premise involving a hidden set of travel portals and a Dan Brown-esque quest to discover them held a great deal of promise.

Regrettably, however, much of this potential was lost in the chaos and unevenness. The plot became disjointed and erratic, dragging at times and then racing at others, ultimately culminating in a rather abrupt and anti-climactic ending. Fassin’s quest began to feel like a senseless wild goose chase. The characters, especially the Dwellers, came across as inconsistent and comical, seemingly failed attempts to imitate the creative absurdity of Douglas Adams or Terry Pratchett. The evil villain, Luseferous, was a mere caricature, evil simply for the sake of being evil. Other than serving as Banks' means to create tension, he did little to actually enhance the story.

Overall, I was unable to discern whether this was a hard-edged, space-opera science fiction story or something entirely different. On one hand, there were space battles, wormhole portals, and weapons of mass destruction, while on the other hand, there were yacht races and open air homes with furniture and curtains, on Jupiter no less. Everyone wandered around in what seemed like goofy suites (or whatever they were called) as if on an afternoon stroll or a jaunty trip to the beach. It was all extremely inconsistent and confusing.

In the end, despite my initial high hopes, I had to award this book a disappointing 2-1/2 stars, which I generously rounded up to 3, solely due to its rich potential, even though it remained largely unrealized.

I find myself in a bit of a quandary when it comes to this novel. On one hand, I'm inclined to rate it based on all of the novelist's other works and perhaps give it a lower score simply because it isn't the most captivating among them. It's not a Culture novel either, yet I have this feeling that it might almost be.

Gas giant aliens take center stage in this novel, even though the main character is human. We are treated to a truly remarkable exploration of far future cultures and alien beings that truly embody the term "gas-bag." I have absolutely no complaints about the world-building in this novel. It is truly glorious.

However, it also has several slow parts. Some sections are just "okay" for long stretches. They're not brilliant, nor are they horrible, but rather perfectly serviceable. But then I became immersed in the intrigue, the spy elements, and the big mystery surrounding these floating aliens, which goes far beyond the fact that they've been around for 10 billion years. Or that they're deep-down Anarcho-syndicalists or perhaps just plain anarchists in the sense that nobody rules anyone, and their strange war traditions or brutal childrearing techniques make them seem like total crazies. Yet everything they do seems to work.

And that appears to be the big mystery... until war comes and so many pieces come together, revealing an even bigger and more complex mystery... until we finally know. :) And knowing is half the battle.

If it hadn't been for the awesome reveals, I probably would have given this novel a 3-star rating. Even the whole mystery surrounding the name of the book is perfect.

My surprise and enjoyment definitely increased as the war arrived. There are plenty of space battles, grief, and mystery that keep the novel engaging. But that's for later. :)

Taken on its own, without knowing that it's by Banks, I might have rated it higher simply because of the amount of imagination that has been poured into it. But as it stands, Banks has written better novels, so in the end, I still ranked it slightly lower. Alas.

Still, it is definitely worth the read.

Probably my least favorite of Iain Banks' scifi novels.

The writing in this particular work is rather uneven, and it seems to be in desperate need of some proper editing. There are just far too many of those short Point Of View chapters from people who are about to die. Tom Clancy is known for doing this a lot, and Iain, please don't follow in his footsteps.

However, on the plus side, a significant portion of the book involves the protagonist wandering through an anarchist society. This society is made possible by an abundance of resources and is filled with long and intense arguments about how any anarchist society could actually function.

There's an interesting contrast at play here. On one hand, the protagonist is engaged in a dangerous yet free traipsing through an anarchist society of Gas Giant dwellers as they search for a long lost secret. On the other hand, in the background story, there are massive space battles (complete with orbital bombardment and mass death) going on between two hierarchical, expansionist empires. This contrast adds an extra layer of depth and intrigue to the overall narrative.

Overall, while the book has its flaws, it still manages to offer some interesting ideas and a unique setting for readers to explore.

It reminded me of Alastair Reynolds' Revelation space series.

Good:

* The world building in this work is extremely good. It is truly refreshing to witness Banks constructing an entire Galaxy anew, going beyond the confines of his Culture series. This new galactic setting is rich and detailed, filled with unique civilizations, technologies, and landscapes that draw the reader in and make them eager to explore further.

* The dweller society, in particular, is captivating. Their way of life, their beliefs, and their interactions with other species add a layer of depth and intrigue to the story. It is fascinating to learn about their customs and traditions and how they have evolved over time.

* The ending is satisfying. It ties up all the loose ends and provides a sense of closure to the story. The resolution is both logical and unexpected, leaving the reader with a feeling of satisfaction and a desire to read more of Banks' work.

Bad:

* The scenes of Archimandrite Luseferous torturing people lack weight to them. They seem rather gratuitous and do not add much to the overall story. The descriptions of the torture are not vivid enough to make the reader feel the pain and suffering of the victims.

* The subplot with Taince taking revenge against Sal is underdeveloped. There is not enough background information provided about Taince's motives or the circumstances that led to her desire for revenge. As a result, the subplot feels rushed and does not have the emotional impact that it could have had.

DNF.

Why exactly are we presented right at the start with a villain sporting diamond teeth and a living head of his enemy, which is crazy and unable to even commit suicide, being used as a punching bag? Ughhh....

I'm truly not going to finish this crap. Maybe later? But to be honest, I'd rather not.

This kind of opening just seems so absurd and off-putting. It makes me wonder what the creators were thinking.

Was it an attempt to shock and grab the audience's attention? If so, it might have backfired for me.

The image of that villain and the gruesome scene is just too much to handle at the beginning.

It leaves a bad taste in my mouth and makes me reluctant to continue.

Maybe I'll give it another chance later, but for now, I'm just going to walk away.