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Excession
- Culture Series, Book 5
- Narrated by: Peter Kenny
- Length: 15 hrs and 55 mins
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Excession
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Summary
The novels of Iain M. Banks have forever changed the face of modern science fiction. His Culture books combine breathtaking imagination with exceptional storytelling, and have secured his reputation as one of the most extraordinary and influential writers in the genre.
Two and a half millennia ago in a remote corner of space, beside a trillion-year-old dying sun from a different universe, the artifact appeared.
It was a perfect black-body sphere, and it did nothing. Then it disappeared.
Now it is back.
Diplomat Genar-Hofoen of Special Circumstances is sent to investigate but, sidetracked by an old flame and the spoiled-brat operative Ulver Seich, and faced with the systematic depravities of a race who call themselves the Affront, it's anyone's guess whether he'll succeed . . .
The Culture series:
Consider Phlebas
The Player of Games
Use of Weapons
Excession
Inversions
Look to Windward
Matter
Surface Detail
The Hydrogen Sonata
The State of the Art
Other books by Iain M. Banks:
Against a Dark Background
Feersum Endjinn
The Algebraist
Critic reviews
"Gripping, touching and funny." (TLS)
"A dizzying adventure." (Daily Mail)
"Explosive but tender." (Sunday Times)
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What listeners say about Excession
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 07-02-19
heaven
the best so far. absolute textual ambrosia. strongly recommended, the originality of the series and notable intertextuality/copying by present SIFI authors is evidence itself
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Daniel W.
- 03-10-21
Banks at his Best
My favourite space opera is as breathtakingly big, bold and beautiful as it was when It first came out. Slightly awkward to listen to because of the large envelope overhead included in each ship to ship transmission. Mr Kenny narrates with customary authority.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- dave
- 06-12-21
Space opera that comes in waves
The depth of world design is extraordinary and the journey is vast. It is easy to get a bit lost if not paying 100% attention as the jumping from world to world and character to character can catch you out, sometimes leaving you a bit lost. It was the first banks i read so i have a soft spot for it. Some incredible deep dives and side stories that come together in the end.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Akin Asa
- 11-09-20
Brilliant and compelling
Fans of Iain will appreciate the names of the ships and the world of the Culture books. And Peter Kenny delivers yet another brilliant performance in his narration
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Katherine H
- 28-11-20
Truly great narration
An engaging story - more in depth than the previous books - with a narrator who really showed his versatility.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Red893
- 04-08-16
Fantastic Space Opera
absolutely fantastic story, excellent multiple plot avenues, all succinctly satisfied by the end of the story! thoroughly enjoyed it and look forward to starting the next one!!
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Amazon user
- 03-02-21
Great story, very well read
My favourite Iain M. Banks. I have to keep going back to it, and each time I get something new. It also adds to my enjoyment of all the other culture books with its explanation and exploration of the Minds and their strengths and folibles, and also on various human aspects of the Culture. This is the first audio book I have listened too. Peter Kenny does a fantastic job reading this and added to the experience for me greatly, even though I was initially sceptical, as when first watching a film of a book I love. However, listening to him read it made me explore and challenge my own picture of the characters in particular which was very rewarding, as well as just enjoying the skill with which he read it.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Syme W
- 02-01-24
Big ideas laced with humour
I enjoyed my time with Excession, laughing out loud to Banks' humour & finding every spare moment in my day to press play
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- N. Dyne
- 28-01-24
Banks is growing on me
3rd book I've listened to of his and much the most enjoyable. less whimsical than both Consider Phlebas and The Algebraist. the narration is quite superb. a multitude of characters with different voices which are consistently used as well as consistent with the character's personality. very accomplished
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- PM
- 08-07-13
Fascinating Concept, very technical writing
I really enjoyed this story even though I haven't read any of Ian M. Banks' other 'mind' stories. The writing fulfilled my geeky sci-fi hunger, but even I was a bit annoyed at listening to the message headers being read out and wished I could have fast forwarded those bits more easily. Had this been a printed book I would have skipped those bits automatically of course. In my view, Excession is very well described, challenging and gloriously technical sic-fi that has made me an instant fan of Iain M Banks who we sadly lost recently.
I also wanted to note that the narration of this book is brilliant! Peter Kenny adapts his voice to sound machine-like, sometimes deep and menacing and, for the female characters, appropriately effeminate without being ridiculous. His narration was absolutely enthralling and believable, giving real life to the different characters.
Thoroughly enjoyable listening for both story and narration.
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1 person found this helpful