An Immense Pleasure

At times, this book presents a significant challenge, particularly at the outset. The initial pages can be a bit of a struggle to get through, as the concepts and the narrative style may seem somewhat opaque. However, as one perseveres and delves deeper into its pages, something remarkable begins to happen. Even though there are still some aspects that remain unclear, the overall story starts to grip and draw the reader in.

Slowly but surely, all the disparate elements start to come together in a truly remarkable way. The plot thickens, the characters develop, and the world-building becomes more and more immersive. Before long, it becomes evident that this is one of the finest science fiction books one has ever had the pleasure of reading. In fact, it might just be second only to the iconic "Dune" in terms of its quality and impact.

So, a huge thank you goes out to Mr. Banks for creating this literary masterpiece. It is a book that will stay with the reader long after the final page has been turned, and one that will be revisited and cherished for years to come.

The Algerbraist is a rather unique read. For the first hundred pages, it's a slow build as the setup takes place. But as you gradually get into the story, it becomes a good read. And then, as it speeds towards the end, it gets even better. Finally, it's a great read as you're driven back to work out: "Eh wait a minute how does HG get there?" Then there's a laugh, and yet it remains a puzzle.

I have the distinct feeling that Iain Banks is constructing a story timeline that is as devious and playful as the Dwellers themselves, and a mirror of the possibilities of wormholes. But I'm still puzzling over that. In a way, this would lead me to give the story a 4. It is certainly MORE than 80% better than other science fiction!

However, just because I'm giving it a number in terms of all books, it falls to a 3. But that means most books would end up in the minus category. The depiction of the playful anarchy of the Dwellers is great. The construction of the gas giant and the Dwellers' 'wars', regattas, their floating cities, and falling libraries is magnificent.

Oh, and here is an image of a Dweller I found at Deviant Art. (Bank's images are so great I really wanted to see them visually - not just in my imagination.) http://wunderbear.deviantart.com/art/...

The utter horror of Luciferous was too much for me. I read any part with him in it quickly, skipping over most - except the scene where he is trying to negotiate with the Dwellers. And why a 3? There are parts where I wish Banks had edited his work. I thought if I heard another 'arguably' I'd stop reading. There were the Luciferous sections that I could not read. There was the long setup. But I'm quibbling really - in another universe I'd give it 5.

Kathy

*The story begins in a system where the wormhole that provides short-term access to Galakside has been sabotaged. A search, a war, a collapse, an abstraction, an uncertainty - all these elements are present in the novel 'The Algebraist'. Throughout the book, there are large-scale wars in space and the atmosphere, as well as in-depth discussions on art, ideas, and more. The Ahali race, one of the most annoying characters I've encountered since 'Marvin'(1), are interesting characters with their absurdities, alienation from human social environments, and arrogance. The governance system created by the civilized planets, Mercotaria, and the group that the governance does not consider civilized, the From-the-Past, this power, which has a sick understanding of power and is run by a kind of religious leader who manages a huge flotilla of warships, has action scenes full of excitement in terms of the scale of the war waged in the name of determining who will lead the galaxy.

**Banks uses the personal stories of Fassin, Sal, Taince, and Ilen as catalysts in the fateful war of the large-scale galaxy. The decisions they make in their individual and group lives and the roles they play in this large-scale war are both important and decisive. In addition, while Banks' galaxy has many different species, the roles of these species play an important place in the story. As you can understand, it is not just a galaxy created by humans and played by themselves.

***When creating his galaxy, Banks could not have done this without being influenced by the planet we naturally live on. However, here, he has chosen a way to observe what could happen when the small calculations of small humans on our planet are spread to the galactic scale. The Ulubis system, which has lost the space version of the Silk Road, one of the most important means of transportation for humans a few centuries ago, is under the threat of invasion while looking for alternatives for itself, which must be a scenario that has been repeated many times on Earth and has results full of variations.

****The 'Ahali', a life form that appears in the middle of the book and can be briefly summarized as a brain rotating between two wheels, is far from humanity. They are so evolved that they can live in gas giants and are almost immortal - they can live for billions of years - and they are wonderful in that they don't care at all about the races they call 'fast' in an elegant way - these are also races with lifespans of thousands of years. I think the social structure, development, distribution, and abstraction of the 'Ahali' is a very good experimental thought exercise. Their being the book's smiling, annoying race was also an effort.

*****Mercotaria, in fact, has a kind of dictatorial governance concept. In the war against artificial intelligence on a certain date in the galaxy, it is a governing group that has an important place in the fate of the galaxy in the destructions caused by the fears associated with this situation, along with the extension of a behavior model it showed. In fact, Banks is probably using the fear of Mercotaria to conduct a thought experiment on artificial intelligence, which I see as one of the most sophisticated ways for humanity to destroy itself at the moment. At the same time, it could be used to dictate the justifications for the destructions in societies governed by fear and to explain and show the oppression caused by genocide.

******Banks does a very good job of bringing the reader closer to and distancing them from the story. When our main characters are in certain situations, they explain the events from their own perspectives and then suddenly switch to a dialogue that affects the future of the galaxy, keeping the reader on the edge of their seat. It's sad, but as you know, Banks is no longer in this world. That is, there will be no continuation of 'The Algebraist' that came out of his wonderful mind. Although the book has some flaws here and there and the length of the story and the sentences can be tiring for the reader, it is still a great book and I recommend it to my friends who love space operations.

(1) Otostopçunun Galaksi Rehberi is a book in which Douglas Adams created a universe where the most intelligent but self-pitying robot with completely zero self-confidence(0) in the galaxy.

At the heart of this, there are some truly excellent ideas at play. The narrative, for the most part, keeps chugging along steadily, drawing the reader in and maintaining their interest.

However, in certain parts, I couldn't help but wonder if Banks was perhaps parodying the entire sci-fi genre with some of the names and titles he bestows upon the characters. Take, for example, 'Formulaonedriverarti Waspywax was the Sub-Grand Vezir 3rd Class 2nd Removed of the Sept of Dog Worshipping BattleAxes, Dark Illuminati of the Pink Floyd Galaxy'. This kind of elaborate and absurd naming convention reminded me a great deal of Rowan Atkinson and Stephen Fry's humorous take on similar things in Blackadder.

Coupled with some of the rather nonsensical descriptions of the physical attributes of the aliens, it made the story something that I simply couldn't take too seriously. Nevertheless, I found myself enjoying it all the same. There was a certain charm and light-heartedness to it that made it an entertaining read, despite its somewhat tongue-in-cheek approach to the sci-fi genre.

Overall, while it may not be a deeply profound or serious work of science fiction, it does manage to offer a unique and enjoyable take on the genre, filled with humor and creativity.

In summary, the book can be considered beautiful, but reading it is incredibly difficult. Some of the sentences constructed by the author are so long that there are still some that haven't reached the relevant lobe of my brain yet.

The characters are nice, the world is pleasant, but the plot is a bit fragmented and lacking.

I think science fiction fans must read it, while others should stay away.

This book has its own unique charm and challenges. The long sentences may require more concentration and effort from the reader to understand the author's intended meaning. However, for those who are passionate about science fiction, the interesting characters and the pleasant world setting may make up for the shortcomings of the plot. On the other hand, if you are not a fan of science fiction or prefer a more straightforward and complete plot, this book may not be the best choice for you.

It's important to note that everyone's reading preferences are different, and what one person may find difficult or unappealing, another person may enjoy. So, it's always a good idea to give a book a try and form your own opinion.

This is the reason I read science fiction.

Banks is a master in the field of science fiction. He has the ability to create a multi-level space opera in a universe that is filled with both humans and aliens.

In his works, he has put a huge amount of creative imagination. He must have had tremendous fun while bringing this universe to life.

The vivid and detailed descriptions in his stories make the readers feel as if they are actually part of that universe.

Science fiction allows us to explore the unknown and imagine different possibilities. It broadens our horizons and激发 our creativity.

Reading Banks' works is not only an enjoyable experience but also a source of inspiration.

It makes us think about the future and our place in it.

That's why I love reading science fiction.

My roommate, John, is truly remarkable. He either has excellent reading habits or he knows me extremely well. In either case, his book recommendations are almost always highly appreciated.

John might have recommended Banks to me a decade ago, perhaps even before he moved in. As a recovering science fiction addict, I was initially reluctant. But I accepted what I remember (wrongly, it seems) as a mass market paperback edition of 'The Algebraist' as a bedtime book. I read it over several days and was simultaneously impressed and a bit put off by it. The writing was decent, and the scope was truly impressive. However, all the action taking place on a gas giant planet was rather difficult to digest. I avoided Banks for a while, but then, upon John's urging, I tried another, more accessible novel and got into the habit of reading all the Banks science fiction I could find - and even his first,'mainstream' novel, 'The Wasp Factory'.

Banks recently passed away, which led me to actually look him up on the web and listen to some interviews with him. It also made me check to see if John had any of his books that I hadn't already read. Here, I referred to Goodreads and came up with a list of those volumes not yet rated and reviewed. John had two of them - a third being on loan elsewhere. One of them was 'The Algebraist'.

Immediately, it seemed familiar. I had read a novel by him involving a gas giant and its inhabitants before! Well, perhaps that's just a coincidence, or maybe it's a setting used in more than one book. I proceeded to read it... and found it familiar. I had read it before, remembered a few incidents, a few characters, but not enough to be able to predict its progression or conclusion - and I was getting more out of it than previously.

So it appears that I had failed to record having read this borrowed book, having read it years before getting involved with Goodreads. If I had reviewed it then, I probably would have given it two stars, while now I give it four - another indication of just how subjective such a rating system can be. Why the big difference?

The reason is that Banks' science fiction novels are generally vast, what used to be called'space operas'. Most are set in the very far future, are spread across the entire galaxy (not to mention virtual realities within it), and involve many species (not to mention Artificial Intelligences) and even more major characters. They're like Tolstoy's 'War and Peace' without the mooring that tome has in familiar history. That, along with my original difficulty in visualizing life on a gas giant in a distant solar system, caused me not to enjoy this book as much on the first go-through. Now, however, having become comfortably familiar with Banks, it was much easier to enjoy the story.

A postscript: If I haven't mentioned it before, one of the enjoyments in reading Banks is appreciating his wry tone, his sense of humor, and how some elements of his stories reflect satirically on current political and cultural events.

Not an easy read for me.

Banks is renowned for his rich and elaborate language, and this is no exception in "The Algebraist". The sentences are long and intricate, demanding a great deal of concentration even for someone with a reasonable level of English proficiency.

However, let me tell you, this science-fiction story is truly outstanding. It is not set in the familiar "Culture" universe but in a completely different world crafted specifically for this novel.

Overall, reading this is like being a child in a candy store. There are thrilling space battles, fascinating alien encounters, intense warfare, complex relationships, strange characters, a captivating quest, numerous mysteries, and even a touch of Douglas Adams-like madness.

Moreover, everything is enhanced by the feedback stories that revolve around the characters, enriching their motives and thoughts.

This book definitely deserves 5 stars, an upgrade from the 4-star rating I gave it a decade ago.

This is a new genre for me.

My first (so far as I can recall) "Space Opera," and I was beginning to think the fat alien would never sing.

Uneven reactions to an uneven book. In the book's favor, the writing is intelligent and challenging, and Banks' imagination is absolutely stunning. That alone is enough to make the book worth reading. However, there was plenty here that was off-putting. The tone of the book is uneven, and one wonders whether Banks can't decide to be Asimov or Douglas Adams.

Some of the plot lines are undeveloped or completely extraneous. Tom Clancy has this same problem, devoting oceans of text to events that have little or no impact on the central plot. The same goes for some of the more interesting characters. The central villain, Luseferous, enters as one of the most interesting and disturbing characters I've run into, then disappears for most of the book, only to return in virtually cartoon form, a plot device with diamond teeth.

Also problematic is Banks' generous use of profanity. Apparently, the most prolific weapon 2000 years from now will be the F-bomb, and it serves no purpose. At times, Banks almost sounds like an adolescent who has just learned some curse words and now uses them like commas. I'm no prude about language, but it detracted from the story.

Overall, while the book has its strengths, such as intelligent writing and a stunning imagination, its flaws, including an uneven tone, undeveloped plot lines, and excessive profanity, prevent it from being a truly great work.

One of Iain Banks' chunkier science fiction works is "The Algebraist", which was published in 2004 and sprawls over 534 pages.

It is a space opera on a grand scale. Although it focuses on one solar system, it has the same kind of grand galactic span as Asimov's Foundation series.

The main character, Fassin Taak, is an academic who spends his time exploring the system's gas giant. There, incredibly ancient beings called Dwellers are part of a galaxy-wide civilisation that has lasted 10 billion years. Dealing with them is frustrating and slow, but Fassin discovers hints of a remarkable secret.

At the same time, there is an evil despot, the Archimandrite Luseferous, setting out to conquer Fassin's home system, and a bureaucratic and autocratic civilisation attempting to oppose the despot. So, there is plenty going on in the story.

Overall, I did enjoy the book. However, it seemed to have three problems. The least important one was that the despot was a bit too stereotypical, straight out of the evil pantomime villain department. Then, there was the excessive amount of introspection. Practically every major human character provided page after page of thinking things through, telling rather than showing. And finally, the central section of the book, which was probably about half of it, was rather slow. Fassin was on a long treasure hunt type mission, constantly being slowed down and obfuscated by the tricky and often unhelpful Dwellers. It just seemed to go on and on and on.

I'm glad I've read this book, but unlike Banks' Culture series, I'm very unlikely to read it again. It is inventive and dramatic (when not in the slow parts), and impressive in scale, but those central issues prevent it from being truly great.

I often find myself getting frustrated. Just like in the past few weeks, I've written a review of a particular novel twice, and both times, my review vanished without a trace, no explanation given. It's not that my words are so incredibly precious that the world is worse off for not reading them (well, they kind of are, and it is), but rather that I really, really don't have the time to sit down and write reviews as I used to.

Wait a minute, that's not entirely fair. I've been attempting to spend my free time actually writing fiction, hoping to finally wrap up a novel that I've allegedly been working on for about the last 8 years. When I reread it a few weeks ago to catch up on what I'd already written, I was struck by a particular passage. In it, my protagonist narrator was pondering the viability of streaming services in the future while contemplating their media collection.

Back in 2011, it was quite relevant to current events, but not so much now. Although I do predict some sort of streaming apocalypse in the next few years, at the moment, it seems I have more streaming options to choose from than I ever had cable channels when I had cable TV.

Over the past few years, I've had Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, and CBS All Access. I cancelled CBS when I moved but kept the others. Now, I'm hearing about Disney+ and the missus wants Apple's new service, whose name I can't remember.

As for me, I'm starting to feel a bit fatigued on this matter. Disney is at least trying to bundle Hulu and ESPN as a package for about the same cost as Netflix, but paying $5 a month to Apple to watch maybe 5 TV shows? Another $5 to watch new Star Trek shows on CBS? I'm not sure. I don't think they have a large library of other people's content. They say they'll manage your other services for you, which sounds nice, but after I quit my HBO service when GOT ended, Apple keeps recommending that I check out the next episodes of other shows I used to watch on HBO. So, I'm not convinced it's a good service for me.

Regardless, the point is that I'm not happy about having to rewrite the same review for a book I read nearly 4 months ago. The good news is that each review is so different from the others that it feels like something brand new.

In review #2, I actually covered the plot, which I was quite proud of. Because, again, in a few years, when I look back at this, I'll read a time-capsule of me rambling about whatever it is I'm rambling about. Something about my own unfinished novel and something about streaming services.

Actually, it seems I had a lot to say about how much my schedule has changed (and I mean that literally, like how often I go to the restroom to poop) and how distressing the whole thing has been for me. Maybe it's for the best that the computer gods decided to eat that one.

But then again, I didn't mention my poop cycles in review #1, and that one was also consumed. So, even the computer gods are capricious and petty.

Anyway, the book was okay. I have some complaints, but I'm not going to write them down for a third time. (Dammit, just one thing - the aliens belonged in a Discworld novel. They were weird tonally because of the downer plot, and for a race that was supposed to be ineffable and unknowable, they were neither.)

So Banks seems to ripen with age.

His earlier titles were filled with fanciful, mind-blowing brain candy, yet they lacked a certain cerebral edge or literary finesse. I have to admit that he kind of stumbled slightly with Excession, but he certainly made his mark with the novel in various other ways. Consider Phlebas was a near masterpiece, as was the Algebraist. Here, Banks gets a pretty good clip going and his writing even smacks of literature.

That, plus being set in amazing fantastical settings (futuristic, of course) with round and complex characters with distinct voices, the novel was thoroughly entertaining. One thing I appreciate about Banks' style is his lack of apology for certain conventions due to his expository writing methods. Iain Banks somehow gets away with telling while showing.

Not only does it add weight to the fantastic futures he envisions, but the exposition in and of itself is fascinating stuff. Thanks to the roundness of his characters, Banks makes them engaging and interesting. This is quite a feat since Banks likes to populate his worlds with incredibly thought-out alien species unlike any human.

I don't believe I've ever read a novel where a creature consisting of merely a sac of gas can quip violently funny tirades. The device he employs to achieve this is simple. Banks assumes that any creature capable of interstellar commerce and practical civilization building is most likely imbued with the same qualities. Sense of humor, compassion, a twinge of altruism - basically, human. This is a poetic license I am willing to grant in this case.

The story is drawn out and complex, and I don't remember enough detail to accurately describe it here, namely the names as such. It involves the sequestration of a young gentleman to appeal to an ancient race of "Dwellers" who inhabit various gas giant planets for their wisdom and aid to stave off an interstellar war.

The novel is active and spirited, well-written, and certainly a bar-raiser for the SF genre. Highly recommended.