Listen free for 30 days
Listen with offer
-
Surface Detail
- Culture Series, Book 9
- Narrated by: Peter Kenny
- Length: 20 hrs and 22 mins
Failed to add items
Add to basket failed.
Add to wishlist failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
99p for the first 3 months
Surface Detail
Buy Now for £16.99
No valid payment method on file.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
Listeners also enjoyed...
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.
The "War in Heaven", a simulated war game, rages between civilisations. Its virtual battles have been fought for decades, and the victors will decide the fate of the digital Hells - torturous artificial afterlives with horrors beyond imagination.
In the Sichultian Enablement, Y'breq is one of the Intagliated, her marked body bearing witness to a family shame, her life belonging to a man whose lust for power is without limit.
As the virtual war threatens to spill into the Real, Y'breq is willing to risk everything for her freedom - but she'll need the Culture, and its help comes at a price. The Culture is going to war with death itself.
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
'Banks is a phenomenon' William Gibson
More from the same
What listeners say about Surface Detail
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Ben
- 25-06-19
Superb narration
Listening to other audio books with characters from many fictional cultures then re-listening to this reminds me just how good not only the story is, but how much the performance brings it to life.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
- S. J. Beynon
- 23-01-17
Great yarn
Epic, action packed, funny and choc full of memorable characters. Terrific fun. Someone really should make the film or series.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 02-05-17
Surface Detail
This is up there for me amongst the best Culture novels, maybe not as heavyweight as 'Player of Games' and 'Use of Weapons' but full of great ideas and a few memorable characters, the Minds in particular being real stand outs.
I found it very well read with Peter Kenny sounding as if he really enjoyed narrating.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- C. Holden
- 27-06-18
Banks' Culture series is unique and sublime
Peter Kenny is an excellent narrator, probably surpassed only by Steven Pacey. The Culture novels by Iain M Banks are extraordinary. There really is nothing else in the genre to compare. It is tragic that Iain's too early demise means that his canon is complete. Surface detail is typically complex, raunchy, boisterous and profound. As ever, there are layers here that relate precisely to our own context, as all good scifi does. I've read all of the books many times and the audio book offers another reason to indulge. I'm working my way through the lot. If you haven't tried the culture novels, I recommend Consider Phlebas or The Player of Games to start with. Surface Detail is just as good though. Read or listen to the lot, and then join me in hoping someone with the chops takes up the Culture mantel and continues writing new material in its fascinating, witty and hopeful universe. After all, Banks has created the only utopian vision in history that is not vicious, mendacious, ridiculous or boring. Elon Musk certainly thinks so.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Brett
- 20-03-19
another brilliant read
just brilliant. such a shame that iain banks passed away. his culture series and satellite stories are truly breathtaking. recommended to any discerning sci fi fan.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- schrodingersdogisalive
- 18-07-22
beautiful and complex
Yet another great story interwoven with the Culture and some other lesser humanoids. This is a prime example of Mr Banks work narrated beautifully. 10/10 from me
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story4 out of 5 stars
- Tim
- 08-06-22
Good sci-fi
He has come out with good new sci-fi ideas despite this being the 9th book in the series.
It's not heavy to listen to even though parts describe pure stereotyped horror.
Peter Kenny narration is excellent again.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars
-
Story3 out of 5 stars
- A. D. Pennington
- 12-08-23
Hard to follow at first
Took a while to begin making sense but once it did, it was brilliant. Well worth sticking with past the apparently disjointed first few chapters.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- James Rivett-Carnac
- 01-04-16
the best audio book performance I've heard
I love Ian m banks, and the culture novels.
Peter Kenny is a fantastic story teller, performer, and voice actor. This is by far the best audio book I've heard. His performance is the only reason I'm writing a review, which I normally do not.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars
-
Story4 out of 5 stars
- DannyM
- 24-02-20
Banks back to his best
This was a real return to form for Banks, great space opera as no one else could write it.
It’s also one of the best narrations of his books, Peter Kenny clearly “gets” the material and does a fantastic job.
Highly recommended
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!