Feersum Endjinn |
 |
 click here for more details, find new or used items |
Iain M. Banks
|
|
Pages: 279 (Paperback)
ISBN: 1857232739
Pub: Orbit
Pub date: 1995-06-08
Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 30044
Editorial Review:
In a future where the ancients have long since departed Earth for the stars, those left behind live complacent lives filled with technological marvels they no longer understand. Then a cosmic threat known as the Encroachment begins a devastating ice age on Earth, and it sets in motion a series of events that will bring together a cast of original characters who must struggle through war, political intrigues and age-old mysteries to save the world. (B 4worned, 1 oph Banx' carrokters theenx en funetic inglish, which makes for some tough reading but also some innovative prose.)
Reader Reviews:
Very weird but superb (0/0 people found this helpful)
On a future earth threatened by the destruction promised by the encroachment. Four seperate characters set out on different paths to try to save themselves and the world. This is one of the least accessible of Banks's novels but one of the most rewarding. He creates his worlds by writing with warmth and affection about the characters at the centre and as he describes the fast edifices at the centre of them, he never allows us to forget the humanity of his central figures. The use of four parallel narratives is a complex structure as is the non standard script deployed by one of his narrators but the use of such techniques makes this novel a rewarding read.
Great value for money (1/1 people found this helpful)
I've read all of Banks other books and this one remains my favourite by a long long way.
Half the fun of this book is working out what's going on and where exactly it's going on which took me a good few chapters at which point I was just hooked by the plot and the wonderful character Bascule and his phonetic spelling which is both highly entertaining and also offers an interesting perspective into the world he guides you through.
If you're the type of reader who prefers to have everything spelt out for you clearly whilst you just sit back for the ride then this is probably not a book you'd enjoy but for everyone else you will find you become quickly absorbed in the plot and eager to see what happens next.
The ending of this book is a highly amusing massive understatement and quite possibly the best ending to any book I've read.
Brilliant, surreal, imaginative (2/2 people found this helpful)
Once you get used to reading the occassional chapter written phonetically (initialy hard work - i almost gave up after a few pages!), you can lose yourself in the vivid and surreal worlds of this story. I found this to be one of his best works, full of suspence, intrigue, wit and humour.
Highly recommended for those looking for something challenging and different!
Stick With It (2/2 people found this helpful)
Like some other reviewers, I found this book hard going at first, especially the phonetically spelled sections recounted by a (presumably) intellectually challenged character - it even annoyed me at times. But I did eventually get used to it & have re-read the book a few times with no obvious harmful effects. I was pleased to read a story NOT about the Culture (though I enjoy those too) as Banks creates a fantastic but still believable alternative universe.
It's a permanent fixture on my bookshelf & I'm sure I'll get around to reading it again in the not too distant future (when I've finished all of Peter Hamilton & Neal Asher's books...)
HARD READ (1/5 people found this helpful)
The book is not written in proper English (well not all the way through), but in slang. I found it hard to get into it because of this and can't understand what the reader gains from this. I am keeping this book to finish or re-read later on in life, but crap compared to the excellent consider phelebas novel, which also had flaws but was very enjoyable.
Similar Products
The Dreaming Void (Void Trilogy)
Pandora's Star (Commonwealth Saga)
The Temporal Void (Void Trilogy)
Polity Agent (Ian Cormac)
The Reality Dysfunction (Night's Dawn Trilogy)
Categories
Amazon.co.uk places this book into the following categories:
Books -> Subjects -> Fiction -> General
Books -> Subjects -> Fiction -> General AAS
Books -> Subjects -> Science Fiction & Fantasy -> Authors, A-Z -> B -> Banks, Iain M.
Books -> Subjects -> Science Fiction & Fantasy -> Fantasy -> General AAS
Books -> Subjects -> Science Fiction & Fantasy -> Science Fiction -> General AAS
Books -> Refinements -> Language (feature_browse-bin) -> English
Books -> Refinements -> Format (binding_browse-bin) -> Paperback
Books -> Refinements -> Font Size (format_browse-bin) -> Regular Size