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Book Reviews of Excession (Culture, Bk 5)

Excession (Culture, Bk 5)
Excession - Culture, Bk 5
Author: Iain M. Banks
PBS Market Price: $8.09 or $4.19+1 credit
ISBN-13: 9780553575378
ISBN-10: 0553575376
Publication Date: 2/2/1998
Pages: 512
Rating:
  • Currently 4/5 Stars.
 34

4 stars, based on 34 ratings
Publisher: Spectra
Book Type: Paperback
Reviews: Amazon | Write a Review

2 Book Reviews submitted by our Members...sorted by voted most helpful

althea avatar reviewed Excession (Culture, Bk 5) on + 774 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 3
This is one of Banks Culture novels, set in his far-future universe of sentient ships and interstellar civilizations.
Its just about as opposite to his book Inversions where there is barely a clue that it is a Culture novel. In this novel, the complex, far-reaching background almost overwhelms the plot but not quite.
An anomaly (dubbed an Excession) has appeared in space? What is it? Is it sentient? Is it potentially a gateway to other universes?
No one knows but everyone is freaking out over it from the Special Circumstances division of the Culture, to godlike ships of legend, and other civilizations - such as the mild-mannered Elench and the cruel and barbaric Affront are being drawn into an ever-spiraling mess
Meanwhile, an ex-space captain lives peacefully in a state of eternal pregnancy in an isolated tower aboard an Eccentric ship.
An ambassador is recruited with promises beyond his dreams to attempt to kidnap a soul
And a spoiled bimbo is lured into a mission of seduction, told she will be part of the elite Special Circumstances corps
All will be drawn into the orbit of the Excession
reviewed Excession (Culture, Bk 5) on + 407 more book reviews
I liked this book, but I think I would have liked it more if I had read the earlier books in the series first. I found myself wondering what was going on and who the characters were, and it wasn't until I was halfway through when I realized that it was part of a series. I look forward to reading the earlier books starting with Consider Phlebas.