Matter

The Culture re-read continues. It must have been a spell since I read this as I did not have a strong recollection of it.
Whilst it is a 4 star book and I am giving it a recommend I must say that the first two thirds dragged for me. Again, it was the psuedo-fantasy bits as opposed to the 'Culture' parts that I found a struggle. When you read a book, your impressions are built from how you are feeling and processing the world at this point in your life. I used to be able to wade through a hefty fantasy tome and enjoy it but over the last decade or so, my interest in fantasy settings has waned significantly. Thus, the liberal application of fantasy elements in some Culture novels are pushing against that factor for me.
There is also a lot of time spent on s POV character that is just (spoiler) killed with no real value in the plot with that. Felt like a bit of a waste.
That all being said I really enjoyed the perspective of the 'primitives' being aware of the technologically superior races and not treating them as gods. Favors to be obtained where possible yes, but no entreaties and no worship. This is still a strong, entertaining blast of speculative fiction with a lot to say. Don't let grumpy old me put you off.

There is an interview at the back of this book in which Banks says he was thinking of giving up writing SF but he set himself the task of creating a completely new context for a novel; The Algebraist, Banks' best novel for years resulted.
With Matter Banks returns to the Culture - and that is a mistake. Every worthwhile idea relating to the Culture has been expounded multiple times already - there has been no need for a new Culture novel since Use of Weapons and the quality of them has been deteriorating ever since. (It seems likely that Use of Weapons will be the best book Banks writes in any genre, ever.) This means that when we are exposed to yet another rehearsal of the arguments for and against interventionist politics, it is just boring; Banks fans could present both sides of the argument without having to think by now. Some of the characters are also Banks cliches and all of the main characters spend considerable time merely travelling from one place to another before they can meet up for a climax that is too short and unfortunately predictable, at least in general outline.
Once again the book is too long for its own story; if ruthlessly pared down to half its length it might move fast enough not to lose the interest of its readers. This affliction is so widespread amongst contemporary authors that one must suspect that the publishers/editors must find it somehow desirable.
One aspect of the book, is superior to The Algebraist, at least - there is very little reliance on crude jokes to bulk up the story, which is about all that the middle part of the Algebraist consists of.
Is Banks a spent force? It seems the man who shook up hard SF and made it a powerful force again may have been overtaken by newcomers to the genre.