the steep approach to garbadale

The Steep Approach to Garbadale by Iain Banks

According to the blurb on the front of the book:
For any lover of a good story well told, a new book by Iain Banks is always a treat. Imagination, wit, and complexity are his hallmarks.
So, there you go. I suppose I would call this a "summer-read". It isn't that complex, it is fairly light, it has a certain amount of wit, and a bit of imagination. However, it would be best summed up as "fluff".

The book loses its way three-quarters through, suddenly turning into a diatribe against American politics and global warming. This, unfortunately, means that the storyline gets pushed out of the way in the last quarter. Everything the book has been building up to comes off as rather flat.

An OK read. I was hoping that this would convince me to read some more Iain Banks books - on that list, in my mind, I had The Wasp Factory down as something I wanted to read. Now, I'll just wait a little longer until it turns up in the 3 for 2 pile, and I can get it for free.

Comments

[Helen]

Is there a library in Tijuana?

[Three-Legged-Cat]

I read The Crow Road, which I enjoyed, and then The Wasp Factory, which is easily the wierdest bloody book I've read in years. Somehow I never got any further than that.

[will]

@helen Yes, there is a library in Tijuana. Unfortunately (for me) all the books are in Spanish.

@three-legged-cat Can't work out if that is a recommendation for The Wasp Factory or not :^)

[neil h]

I would heartily recommend The Wasp Factory, followed by The Crow Road and (my personal favourite) Espedair Street. As for his SF novels, Consider Phlebas, Look to Windward, Use of Weapons and The Player of Games are the ones to look out for. Garbadale was a little disappointing, mainly because it was setting up the same sort of family saga/mystery as Crow Road but then lost its focus at the end. If you enjoyed the first part of the book then Crow Road and Espedair Street will be up your street.

[vdeputy]

I loved Steep Approach to Garbadale. Was my first Banks book and have read all the novels since. I really liked Crow Road, Complicity, Dead Air, Espedair Street and The Wasp Factory. In fact, I had never read any science fiction before but because I liked Banks so much, he has drawn me into science fiction. Have read everything but Matter and Windward (which I haven't been able to find - even Amazon.com can't track it down!).