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The Steep Approach to Garbadale

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The Steep Approach to Garbadale

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

 The Wopuld family built their fortune on a board game called Empire, now a wildly successful computer game. So successful, in fact, that the American Spraint Corp wants to buy the Wopulds out. Alban, who has been evading the family tentacles for the last few years, thinks Spraint should be treated with suspicion, but he also has other things on his mind. What drove his mother to take her own life? And is he yet over Sophie, his teenage love, who'll be present at the forthcoming family gathering - part birthday party, part Extraordinary General Meeting - in their highland castle?©2007 Iain Banks; (P)2007 Hachette Audio Fiction Genre Fiction Literary Fiction Game

Critic reviews

"The most imaginative British novelist of his generation." ( The Times)
All stars
Most relevant
I really enjoyed listening to this. The plot unfolds gradually, moving both forwards towards the family vote over whether or not to sell off their company, and backwards to fill in the past and explain how the protagonist, Alban, came to be who he is. It's absolutely beautifully read: the reader manages to give a different voice to each character without falling into caricature. There are some very funny moments (Fielding giving a powerpoint presentation to the two elderly aunts was stand-out for me). My one reservation was that the ending wasn't really all that revelatory. I got the impression that it was meant to be a shock - it certainly seemed to surprise Alban - but I'd figured out the family secret a good while earlier.
Overall then, I'd say this is one of the best-read audio books I've encountered in a while, but not the best Iain Banks I've come across.

Very enjoyable

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What about Peter Kenny’s performance did you like?

Iain Banks always writes a great story, but I was particularly impressed with Peter Kenny's characterisation. As this was a family gathering, there were a significant number of characters, all needing a slightly different vocal representation. I thought Peter managed this really well, providing subtle distinctions for each.

Great portrayal of characters

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Often funny and always engaging, 'The Steep Approach to Garbadale' is a beautifully written romance cum mystery cum family saga. Ultimately, the solution to the mystery is pretty predictable and if I were being very harsh I would say that the parts of this novel are better than the whole, but these are quibbles. The vivid characters and their interactions are the main thing and this reader certainly found himself engrossed in their stories and caring deeply about their fates.

I heartily agree with what has already been said about Peter Kenny's superb reading. It really is a tour de force, as he gives each character their own voice, perfectly reflecting their age, sex, social background and national or regional accent. It's a joy to listen to him and he perfectly brings out the humour in the comic set pieces. He deals admirably with more subtle scenes and emotions too. Wonderful stuff.

Good novel, superb reading

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Peter Kenny's narration is superb as some of the other reviewers have mentioned. He beautifully renders personality, mood, accent, age and gender for all the diverse characters from Scottish hard man to dotty maiden aunt. The story is good - I didn't mind the narration hopping about and I think it actually added to the story. I did find it dragging a bit in the final quarter, hence the 4 stars rather than 5. I might have skipped a few pages had I been reading rather than listening. It's quite an episodic book, but the episodes are linked together by a common thread and the central character is likable and interesting enough to continue to engage. Overall, well worth the listen.

Good story, great narration

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If you could sum up The Steep Approach to Garbadale in three words, what would they be?

Brilliant. Sensitive. Absorbing.

What did you like best about this story?

It's detailed descriptions of places and people kept me enthralled from the first words. The way it is arranged in flashbacks is never confusing and I listened to it until late in the night, something I never do. It's very much a keeper and I am sure I will listen to it again. Not being a fan of science fiction, this was an Iain Banks I had never imagined and the first of his books I have ever bought as I always thought of him as a science fiction writer.

What does Peter Kenny bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you had only read the book?

Peter Kenny gave voices to the characters that made them unforgettable. Alban's voice is still in my head. Kenny's accents were flawless.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

It certainly was. I refused an invitation to a concert because I couldn't bear to leave it.

Any additional comments?

Although I had guessed the ending, it didn't detract in any way from the book itself.

Not the usual Iain Banks.

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