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A review by theaurochs
Matter by Iain M. Banks
5.0
The great Banks re-read, book the eight.
How can our lives possibly Matter, when we are surrounded by vastly more powerful, skilful, talented, influential, important beings? How can our achievements Matter when they will affect nothing on the true scale of things?
Well, they don't.
And yet, they do- because they Matter to us.
This is the philosophical conflict at the centre of another stunning Culture novel; Baudrillard's idea of the Simulacra and Simulation. Here we have feudal princes trying to right the wrongs done to their family in a pseudo-medieval world. But all the while they are fully aware that they are less than children to their host species the Oct; and they themselves are coddled by the Nariscene; up and up and up the concentric spheres of influence until we reach what could optimistically be called the base level of reality at which exists the infamous Culture.
To reinforce this magnificent theme we have the awe-inspiring creation of a Shellworld; a constructed planet that has over a dozen nested layers of ground, atmosphere and artificial sky. The main characters come from the eight level down- not even that important in their own unimportant world.
Come on, this is a literal, physical representation of the concept of the book! It's magnificent.
But anyway- a lot of people might choose despair at this knowledge- knowing that nothing they do could possibly be relevant on the scales that are really operating around them, but the Prince is adamant that upholding honour and dignity is important, on any scale. This is one of the themes- knowing our lives are meaningless in the greater context, we may as well live them to the best of our ability. The villain of the story is framed as such in large part because he does not desire to break free to a higher/more base level of reality, which was the driving aim of the previous ruler (who the villain disposes of at the start of the story). His aim is to manipulate the level of reality at which he is comfortable and control those within it.
So we do have this story of revenge and righteousness; and the fact that on grander scales it is meaningless do not take away from the fact that it is a great story. Banks's fluency of narrative is truly astounding, and the whole thing is a joy to read.
In addition to that though, we get a large amount of universe-exposure that could easily come across as info-dumping (and doubtless some will feel this way reading it), but it never overstays its welcome and I'm always amazed by his imagination and as such happy to read what he has dreamed up.
The story feels the weight of the inevitable conclusion, which draws the characters and readers inexorably inwards, and has pretty much the only suitable end for such a story.
In short, this book is brilliant, Banks is brilliant, read it.
How can our lives possibly Matter, when we are surrounded by vastly more powerful, skilful, talented, influential, important beings? How can our achievements Matter when they will affect nothing on the true scale of things?
Well, they don't.
And yet, they do- because they Matter to us.
This is the philosophical conflict at the centre of another stunning Culture novel; Baudrillard's idea of the Simulacra and Simulation. Here we have feudal princes trying to right the wrongs done to their family in a pseudo-medieval world. But all the while they are fully aware that they are less than children to their host species the Oct; and they themselves are coddled by the Nariscene; up and up and up the concentric spheres of influence until we reach what could optimistically be called the base level of reality at which exists the infamous Culture.
To reinforce this magnificent theme we have the awe-inspiring creation of a Shellworld; a constructed planet that has over a dozen nested layers of ground, atmosphere and artificial sky. The main characters come from the eight level down- not even that important in their own unimportant world.
Come on, this is a literal, physical representation of the concept of the book! It's magnificent.
But anyway- a lot of people might choose despair at this knowledge- knowing that nothing they do could possibly be relevant on the scales that are really operating around them, but the Prince is adamant that upholding honour and dignity is important, on any scale. This is one of the themes- knowing our lives are meaningless in the greater context, we may as well live them to the best of our ability. The villain of the story is framed as such in large part because he does not desire to break free to a higher/more base level of reality, which was the driving aim of the previous ruler (who the villain disposes of at the start of the story). His aim is to manipulate the level of reality at which he is comfortable and control those within it.
So we do have this story of revenge and righteousness; and the fact that on grander scales it is meaningless do not take away from the fact that it is a great story. Banks's fluency of narrative is truly astounding, and the whole thing is a joy to read.
In addition to that though, we get a large amount of universe-exposure that could easily come across as info-dumping (and doubtless some will feel this way reading it), but it never overstays its welcome and I'm always amazed by his imagination and as such happy to read what he has dreamed up.
The story feels the weight of the inevitable conclusion, which draws the characters and readers inexorably inwards, and has pretty much the only suitable end for such a story.
In short, this book is brilliant, Banks is brilliant, read it.