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The State of the Art

Culture Series, Book 4

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The State of the Art

By: Iain M. Banks
Narrated by: Peter Kenny
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About this listen

The works of Iain M. Banks have forever changed the face of modern science fiction. With breathtaking imagination and extraordinary storytelling, they have secured his reputation as one of the most extraordinary and influential writers in the genre.

The State of the Art is the only collection of Iain M. Banks's short ­fiction and includes the acclaimed Culture novella of the same name.

From science ­fiction to horror, dark fantasy to twisted comedy, all eight stories bear the inde­finable stamp of Banks's staggering talent.

The novels of Iain M. Banks:

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

©1991 Iain M. Banks (P)2013 Hachette Audio Anthologies & Short Stories Fiction Horror Science Fiction Short Stories Scary Thought-Provoking Banking

Critic reviews

'Banks is a phenomenon' William Gibson
All stars
Most relevant
...the hardest hitting and funniest, most engaging book in the Culture series so far. I am altered by hearing Iain M. Banks‘ words. Peter Kenny’s narration is skilled, stellar.

Unforgettable...

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Really makes you think what it is to be living and what our personal and social responsibilities are.

Peter Kenny is absolutely brilliant.

A close look

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Too much repetitive moralising about how terrible we are as a species. Not one of the better culture novels.

Tedious

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A great collection of short stories. As usual, narrated superbly by Mr Kenny, very talented.

thoroughly enjoyed.

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If you could sum up The State of the Art in three words, what would they be?

brilliant, entertaining, moralistic

What did you like best about this story?

This collection of short stories has much to offer from more action based ones to those exploring the human condition. The novella The State of the Art is extremely enjoyable and gives a very interesting background to Diziet Sma (Use of Weapons / Surface Detail).

Which scene did you most enjoy?

In The State of the Art the ship makes a request to the BBC World Service to play David Bowie's 'Space Oddity' "(...) for the good ship Arbitrary and all who sail in her."

Did you have an emotional reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

There were a number of passages that made me laugh not at least where an alien being not understanding a herder looking like bush has its fingers and toes ripped off in a 'she loves me ... she loves me not' exercise.

Any additional comments?

This is a collection of SF short stories that is probably best enjoyed after having read a few of Banks' SF novels.

For the true Banks SF lover

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