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beroid's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
hakimbriki's review against another edition
5.0
If Use of Weapons is the most emotional Culture book, Excession is the most entertaining and, by a country mile, the funniest.
What stands out the most in this book, for me at least, is Banks' seamless ability to shift tones effortlessly.. He goes from talking minds to sadistic aliens to characters living in a simulation to and a bunch of other fun subplots, and I for one never felt like the story lost any coherence. The... let's call it "object" at the center of this story imbues it with a touch of cosmic horror ambiance, even.
Every aspect of this novel is spot on: the pace is exhilirating, the structure is flawless, the plot grips you to the edge of your seat, and the humor, oh my goodness, the humor is delightful. The ship names are hysterical (two favorite ship names are "I Blame My Mother" and "I Blame Your Mother"), and so is some of the dialogue. The minds shine in Excession - it is their book. I adore how the author portrays them, and I'm certain it will foster a greater sense of compassion for them as continue to revisit the series.
I know... a lot of people were disappointed with the ending, but I didn't mind it. To me, the heart of it was in the adventure, not the destination (pun intended).
What stands out the most in this book, for me at least, is Banks' seamless ability to shift tones effortlessly.. He goes from talking minds to sadistic aliens to characters living in a simulation to and a bunch of other fun subplots, and I for one never felt like the story lost any coherence. The... let's call it "object" at the center of this story imbues it with a touch of cosmic horror ambiance, even.
Every aspect of this novel is spot on: the pace is exhilirating, the structure is flawless, the plot grips you to the edge of your seat, and the humor, oh my goodness, the humor is delightful. The ship names are hysterical (two favorite ship names are "I Blame My Mother" and "I Blame Your Mother"), and so is some of the dialogue. The minds shine in Excession - it is their book. I adore how the author portrays them, and I'm certain it will foster a greater sense of compassion for them as continue to revisit the series.
I know... a lot of people were disappointed with the ending, but I didn't mind it. To me, the heart of it was in the adventure, not the destination (pun intended).
taylort1997's review
adventurous
challenging
funny
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
noranne's review against another edition
4.0
Started out a little slow but around halfway it really picked up and by the end I couldn't put it down. Like seeing more of the Minds. Could have done without Ulver Seich, though. Her only purpose seemed to be to illustrate the possible downsides of Culture culture, perhaps?
mwplante's review against another edition
5.0
My second favorite book in Banks' science fiction catalogue. The tentacled meanie aliens in this are vintage Banks, as are the mind-bending questions the book poses.
julcoh's review against another edition
5.0
WOW. I'm still reeling from how good this book was. This is the fourth Culture series novel I've read (skipping [b:The State of the Art|129131|The State of the Art (Culture, #4)|Iain M. Banks|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1171981758s/129131.jpg|1280581]) by the late [a:Ian M. Banks|5658187|Ian M. Banks|http://www.goodreads.com/images/nophoto/nophoto-U-50x66.jpg], and it surpassed the others in terms of content, writing style, and sheer imagination on a grand scale.
Certain portions of this book are awe-inspiring-- you'll know what I'm talking about after reading. Banks describes technologies and ideologies in his imagined future with a lucidity that amazes. In particular, the first three pages of a chapter describing Metamathics, a computationally simulated conception of reality (if you'll excuse the comparatively terrible description), took my breath away. Easily some of the most beautiful prose I've ever read in science fiction, if not in any of my readings.
Large portions of the book are dialogues and forums between sentient, awesomely intelligent, and ancient artificial intelligences-- what are referred to as Minds (capital M) in the Culture series. The events of this novel take place on such a grand scale that the human affairs described seem almost humorously quaint and unimportant. Nonetheless, Banks is a master at character handling, and he weaves the tapestry of this novel with both the macrocosmically huge and the microcosmically human. I especially liked his description of The Affront, a race of beings evolved in a radically inhuman environment. They are beaked, six-tentacled, air-sacked, hugely powerful, zealously warmongering, and viciously mean beings. Great fun to read about.
This is a book to reread time and time again, and I can not recommend it highly enough. It is worth noting that you *could* start The Culture series with this novel (as they are set in the same universe but with different characters/stories), but I would recommend reading [b:Consider Phlebas|8935689|Consider Phlebas (Culture, #1)|Iain M. Banks|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1327951890s/8935689.jpg|14366] as your first foray into the Culture.
Certain portions of this book are awe-inspiring-- you'll know what I'm talking about after reading. Banks describes technologies and ideologies in his imagined future with a lucidity that amazes. In particular, the first three pages of a chapter describing Metamathics, a computationally simulated conception of reality (if you'll excuse the comparatively terrible description), took my breath away. Easily some of the most beautiful prose I've ever read in science fiction, if not in any of my readings.
Large portions of the book are dialogues and forums between sentient, awesomely intelligent, and ancient artificial intelligences-- what are referred to as Minds (capital M) in the Culture series. The events of this novel take place on such a grand scale that the human affairs described seem almost humorously quaint and unimportant. Nonetheless, Banks is a master at character handling, and he weaves the tapestry of this novel with both the macrocosmically huge and the microcosmically human. I especially liked his description of The Affront, a race of beings evolved in a radically inhuman environment. They are beaked, six-tentacled, air-sacked, hugely powerful, zealously warmongering, and viciously mean beings. Great fun to read about.
This is a book to reread time and time again, and I can not recommend it highly enough. It is worth noting that you *could* start The Culture series with this novel (as they are set in the same universe but with different characters/stories), but I would recommend reading [b:Consider Phlebas|8935689|Consider Phlebas (Culture, #1)|Iain M. Banks|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1327951890s/8935689.jpg|14366] as your first foray into the Culture.
woody4595's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
ztaylor4's review against another edition
4.0
I enjoyed the well-developed future that Banks created in Excession. However, the enormous number of intelligent ships serving as characters (somewhere near 40 or 50, I think), hurt the overall story.
That story itself--along with the unveiling of what was going on--was satisfying, and the unusual portrayal of vast artificial intelligences largely through their ship-to-ship communiques proved a successful approach in general. There were just too many ships with too little separating their roles to keep them all straight.
This was my first Culture novel, and I really enjoyed it. Reading other Culture novels doesn't seem to be a prerequisite for enjoying this one.
That story itself--along with the unveiling of what was going on--was satisfying, and the unusual portrayal of vast artificial intelligences largely through their ship-to-ship communiques proved a successful approach in general. There were just too many ships with too little separating their roles to keep them all straight.
This was my first Culture novel, and I really enjoyed it. Reading other Culture novels doesn't seem to be a prerequisite for enjoying this one.
nigellicus's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
mysterious
tense
5.0
A Big Dumb Object pops into existence in a far off corner of space, and the Culture is interested because it's the sort of weird anomaly that can come along and transform civilisations in all sorts of ways, including into not existing any more. Also interested are the Elench, a Culture offshoot, and the Affront, a pain in the Culture's neck, and a secret conspiracy with a hidden agenda involving ship's Minds being clever and manipulative and ruthless. Characters, ships, fleets and aliens all beging toconverge on the Excession, even though nobody knows what it actually is.
aereaux's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5