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A review by hakimbriki
Matter by Iain M. Banks
5.0
Revisiting the Culture series has proven to be one of the best reading decisions I've ever made. The first time I read Matter, I thought it had too many things going on... it overwhelmed me. I don't think I was in the right mood, because, upon rereading it, I loved it.
Funnily enough, I think the abundance of plotlines and multitude of characters is what makes the novel so entrancing. It's very enveloping, and it doesn't hinge on just one central character to make it work. The setting, as is customary with Banks, is exceptionally innovative - the shellworlds, how they work, the dynamics between the dwellers, the mystery surrounding their construction, all of it is brilliantly delivered. The characters are captivating, though Ferbin did get on my nerves. The political intrigue is both complex and novel, as other civilizations (and not just the Culture) are now meddling in the affairs of the more primitive one. The story is somewhat evocative of Inversions, in that it immerses the reader in a strange world with a medieval-like society. I dig this stuff.
Matter has one of the best climaxes in the series, and a worthy epilogue. You know a book is good when both the trip and the destination have you on the edge of your seat.
Funnily enough, I think the abundance of plotlines and multitude of characters is what makes the novel so entrancing. It's very enveloping, and it doesn't hinge on just one central character to make it work. The setting, as is customary with Banks, is exceptionally innovative - the shellworlds, how they work, the dynamics between the dwellers, the mystery surrounding their construction, all of it is brilliantly delivered. The characters are captivating, though Ferbin did get on my nerves. The political intrigue is both complex and novel, as other civilizations (and not just the Culture) are now meddling in the affairs of the more primitive one. The story is somewhat evocative of Inversions, in that it immerses the reader in a strange world with a medieval-like society. I dig this stuff.
Matter has one of the best climaxes in the series, and a worthy epilogue. You know a book is good when both the trip and the destination have you on the edge of your seat.