Iain M. Banks passed on Sunday 9th June

Television, Movies Games and Books Other Science Fiction
#1

Not great news to start off my week, but I am going to miss his writing.
According to the article, he has one more book due out later this month. Fiction I believe, since he tended to alternate his writing between sci fi and fiction.
Looks like it’s going to be a Banks book summer for me this year, time to dig out some of my oldest books.

http://www.blastr.com/2013-6-9/sf-author-iain-m-banks-creator-culture-dead-59

#2

I am very sorry he passed away; he of all people should have had another 30 years to live because if the last 30 years were anything to judge by, he would have contributed greatly to humanity. I had the chance to meet him at the 2010 British Science Fiction Convention (Eastercon) - his Guest of Honour programming was one thing but he also held a small whiskey tasting panel in which my husband and I had a chance to see a really different side to him (and taste-test some interesting whiskey at the same time - which will in no way have warmed us to the man :slight_smile: ).

Anyway. He was witty, frighteningly intelligent, disarmingly charming and very funny in person.

Here are two articles his fans ought to read:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2013/jun/15/iain-banks-the-final-interview

http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2013/apr/03/iain-banks-cancer-statement-full

#3

if you go to www.unblock-us.com and sacrifice an email address, they will give you acess to a proxy. select the Uk as your region and you can launch bbc’s iplayer and watch his last interview, recorded roughly a month ago, it’s entitled "iain Banks - Raw Spirit.

I had the honour of meeting him in July of 2007, I conducted a short interview, been reading his books for years and am a semi active member of www.iainbanksforum.net he will be sadly missed., the doco is somewhat melancholy and quite touching, he was a lovely man.

Alan

#4

Thanks for the tip.

He was a genuinely “good bloke”.

#5

Thanks for the links fellow GWCers

#6

There are also some items on him at the BBC iPlayer(but I suspect these won’t be available globally).

#7

http://www.blastr.com/2013-7-5/astronomer-renames-asteroid-tribute-sf-writer-iain-m-banks

Thank you, what a fine tribute!

#8

I saw that asteroid thing on Twitter last night - brilliant :slight_smile: Of course IMO they should be naming a star after him, but it’s early days…