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Against a Dark Background

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Against a Dark Background

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

The novels of Iain M. Banks have forever changed the face of modern science fiction. With breathtaking imagination and extraordinary storytelling, they have secured his reputation as one of the most extraordinary and influential writers in the genre.

Lady Sharrow was once the fearless leader of a combat team in one of the sporadic little commercial wars in the vicinity of the planet Golter. Now she is hunted by the Huhsz - a religious cult hellbent on assassinating her - and her only hope of escape is to ­find the last of the apocalyptically powerful Lazy Guns before the Huhsz track her down.

Her journey through the exotic Golterian system is a destructive and savage odyssey into her past, and that of her family and of the system itself.

Books by Iain M. Banks:
Consider Phlebas
The Player of Games
Use of Weapons
Excession
Inversions
Look to Windward
Matter
Surface Detail
The Hydrogen Sonata
The State of the Art
Against a Dark Background
Feersum Endjinn
The Algebraist

©1993 Iain M. Banks (P)2012 Hachette Digital Science Fiction Fiction

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Critic reviews

"Imaginatively brilliant." (Daily Mail)
"Banks ain't kidding. He warned you up front that this is a dark novel." (Norman Spinrad)

"Few of us have been exposed to a talent so manifest and of such extraordinary breadth." (The New York Review of Science Fiction)
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I first read this book years ago and remembered it as one of my favourite Banks novels. Recently I’ve been going through his catalogue listening to all of his work on audible and purposefully left this one until last. I must say sadly that the audible version didn’t live up to my expectations. Kenny’s narration as usual was first class, but there were so many jumps in the timeline that were hard to follow in an unabridged version that perhaps it just didn’t lend itself to being narrated. Bottom line is that it is a solid story and I’ll almost certainly listen to it again at some point. So sad that Banks was cut down in his prime :(

Fond memories

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as usual Peter Kenny is completely amazing and does an incredible job of telling this story. despite his Valiant efforts I still found the story to be quite confusing. It had some excellent moments but there was a lot in between that I lost track of what was happening. this is probably the least enjoyable of his books for me

really struggled to get into this book

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Having completed reading the book for the second time, this time with audio accompaniment, I have thoroughly enjoyed this intriguing tale regarding the fortunes of the Lady Sharrow and her search for the Lazy Gun.
The story wanders off in seemingly unrelated directions at times but always remains true and resolves as the story builds.
Granted, it isn't a Culture novel, but I think some of the criticisms by other reviewers to be a little harsh and the book ends magnificently with an almost 'Western flourish' as with a final frame of the cowboy spurring his mount, and galloping away, free at last.

Against a Dark Background

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I usually love all Iain M Banks books, but every so often he does one that is just a bit too hard to follow.
This one has too many characters I think, making it easy to forget who is being talked about.

Too many characters

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Although I love Iain banks and love all his culture books. this story floored me. from the start I found it very difficult to follow what was going on and only until half way did I really get to grips with what was happening. He is undoubtedly an excellent of science fiction writer but this book was pretty challenging. This is partly to do with listening to the book rather than reading it. Nevertheless the ending pretty unsatisfying. I will certainly re-read/listen to the book and hope the end improves ...

Dark & difficult

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I'll start by saying that this is a decent story, but not one of Banks's best. Certainly not on par with anything from The Culture series.

The story is solid, if somewhat uninspired in parts, and the characters can be rather 2 dimensional at times. This is not helped by a rather weak ending, that is achieved via a contrived middle to the final 3rd.

There is a lot to like here though, mostly in the themes, ideas and images Banks serves up. The pay off at the end of the story is just not of the same high calibre.

Peter Kenny is excellent as the narrator, making all the different characters obviously different and memorable.

One of the weakest Banks Books, but not bad

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While not in the culture series it’s right at home with his style of sci-fi
Very enjoyable

Another great example of his work

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Not up to his usual standard. Not part of the culture series. though it contains some of the same elements.

hmm

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Enjoyed the book would recomend it to fellow listeners, naration was good, I am an a artist and listen to these books while I paint

Quality Sci Fi

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Peter Kenny also bings his A game when bringing Bank's vision to life. A wonderfully immersive story with the sort of complex & well developed characters Banks creats with aplomb.

IMB at his brilliant best.

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