Description: It was one of the less glorious incidents of a long-ago war. It led to the destruction of two suns and the billions of lives they supported. Now, eight hundred years later, the light from the first of thos ancient deaths has reached the Culture's Orbital called Masaq'. For the Hub Mind, an overseer of the massive bracelet world, its arrival is particularly poignant. But it may still be eclipsed by events from the Culture's more recent past.
Brief description: Iain M. Banks (1954-2013), one of the United Kingdom's most popular science fiction authors, wrote such highly regarded novels as Consider Phlebas, Excession, and Inversions. Under the name "Iain Banks," he also published mainstream fiction, including such novels as The Wasp Factory and A Song of Stone.
Review Quotes: "The Guardian" (U.K.) Like some latter-day Isaac Asimov, [Banks writes] space operas, complete with galactic civilizations, mighty spaceships, and brains the size of planets... Banks has tremendous fun....He crams in his beloved battle scenes, wickedly named space-ships (I Blame the Parents; Lapsed Pacifist; Now Look What You Made Me Do...)... and all the time Banks keeps ratcheting up the suspense.