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== Reviews ==
== Reviews ==
For Doug Johnstone, ''Surface Detail'' combines fantastic technologies, wide leaps of imagination and serious moral concepts - illustrated by "human"-interest stories, most of which have consequences for the security of the galaxy.<ref name=Johnstone2010SurDet />
⚫
Francis Spufford says that ''Surface Detail'' show how Banks can display "frivolous high spirits", "moral outrage" and "infernal cruelty".<ref name=Spufford2010RevSurDet /> She says that, while the torments and injustices described in ''[[Matter (novel) | Matter]]'' suggests that the physical universe cannot have a creator, ''Surface Detail'' by contrast shows how a group of civilisations have used computer-generate virtual worlds to produced Hells in which these civilisations torture their dead for ever.<ref name=Spufford2010RevSurDet />


⚫
Francis Spufford says that ''Surface Detail'' show how Banks can display "frivolous high spirits", "moral outrage" and "infernal cruelty".<ref name=Spufford2010RevSurDet /> She says that, while the torments and injustices described in ''[[Matter (novel) | Matter]]'' suggests that the physical universe cannot have a creator, ''Surface Detail'' by contrast shows how a group of civilisations have used computer-generate virtual worlds to produced Hells in which these civilisations torture their dead for ever.<ref name=Spufford2010RevSurDet />


mind-boggling technology, brilliant leaps of imagination and serious moral and ethical themes, all wrapped around several intertwining, intimate human-interest stories that usually have ramifications for the security of the universe


Kaveney says that, while ''Surface Detail'' provides readers horrible scenes, its energy is entertainment.<ref name=Kaveney2010RevSurDet /> However, he says, new readers of the series may find it difficult to understand just how ruthless the Culture can be when pursuit an objective.<ref name=Kaveney2010RevSurDet />
Kaveney says that, while ''Surface Detail'' provides readers horrible scenes, its energy is entertainment.<ref name=Kaveney2010RevSurDet /> However, he says, new readers of the series may find it difficult to understand just how ruthless the Culture can be when pursuit an objective.<ref name=Kaveney2010RevSurDet />
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| title=Brushes with doom
| title=Brushes with doom
| url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2000/sep/02/sciencefictionfantasyandhorror.iainbanks
| url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2000/sep/02/sciencefictionfantasyandhorror.iainbanks
| publisher=The Guardian | accessdate=4 October 2011 | date=Saturday 2 September 2000}}</ref>
| publisher=The Guardian | accessdate=4 October 2011 | date=Saturday 2 September 2000}}</ref>
<ref name=Johnstone2010SurDet>{{cite web | last=Johnstone | first=Doug
| title=Surface Detail, By Iain M Banks
| url=http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/reviews/surface-detail-by-iain-m-banks-2124449.html
| publisher=The Independent | accessdate=6 October 2011 | date=Sunday, 7 November 2010}}</ref>
<ref name=Kaveney2010RevSurDet>{{cite web | last=Kaveney | first=Roz|title=Surface Detail, By Iain M Banks
<ref name=Kaveney2010RevSurDet>{{cite web | last=Kaveney | first=Roz|title=Surface Detail, By Iain M Banks
| url=http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/reviews/surface-detail-by-iain-m-banks-2106657.html
| url=http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/reviews/surface-detail-by-iain-m-banks-2106657.html

Revision as of 12:43, 6 October 2011

Sources

Lead

Surface Detail
AuthorIain M. Banks
LanguageEnglish
SeriesThe Culture
GenreScience fiction novel
PublisherOrbit Books
Publication date
2010
Publication placeGreat Britain
Media typePrint (Hardback[1] & Paperback)
Pages627 pages[1]
ISBN[[Special:BookSources/978-1-84149-895-9%7F%27%22%60UNIQ--ref-00000002-QINU%60%22%27%7F |978-1-84149-895-9[1]]] Parameter error in {{ISBNT}}: invalid character
Preceded by Matter'[1] 

Plot

Among a member of a human-like species, Lededje Y'breq wears a full-body tattoo which brands her as a slave of the powerful tycoon Veppers, who frequently rapes her and, when she tries to escapes, kills her.[2] Neither knew that an eccentric Culture ship had implanted into Lededje brain a "neural lace", which at the woman's death sent a copy of her memories to the General Systems Vehicle Sense Amid Madness, Wit Amidst Follow.

Similar personality copying techniques allows the soldier Vateuil to fight in a variety of environments, including a mainly energy being which moves between layer and fractures of ice.[2]

The rulers of an elephant-like species maintain a Hell with which they punish for ever those whose conduct the ruler dislike. Prin and Chay volunteer to sent copies of their souls into this Hell, hoping to return and expose the atrocities, but only Prin is able to escape.[2]

For a long time there has been a battle between high-tech civilisations about whether Hells should be maintained or destroy.[2] So far this has only be waged in simulations, which the pro-Hell group seem to be winning, and some of the anti-Hell ones seem ready to transfer the war to the real universe. The Culture hates the idea of maintaining Hells,[3] but was excluded from the virtual contests because it earlier mismanaged an intervention in the religious affair of the Chelgriansl,<book>[4] but regards Hells as atrocities.[5]

Themes

Naomi Alderman says that Bank's fictional Hells are based on the Hell houses in which some Christian fundamentalists try to terrify those whose behaviour is not approved.[2]

Alderman says the book make clear the conflicts of objectives, for example whether the needs of Lededje or Chay should be sacrificed in order make certain that the Hells are destroyed.[2]

Reviews

For Doug Johnstone, Surface Detail combines fantastic technologies, wide leaps of imagination and serious moral concepts - illustrated by "human"-interest stories, most of which have consequences for the security of the galaxy.[6]

Francis Spufford says that Surface Detail show how Banks can display "frivolous high spirits", "moral outrage" and "infernal cruelty".[3] She says that, while the torments and injustices described in Matter suggests that the physical universe cannot have a creator, Surface Detail by contrast shows how a group of civilisations have used computer-generate virtual worlds to produced Hells in which these civilisations torture their dead for ever.[3]

mind-boggling technology, brilliant leaps of imagination and serious moral and ethical themes, all wrapped around several intertwining, intimate human-interest stories that usually have ramifications for the security of the universe

Kaveney says that, while Surface Detail provides readers horrible scenes, its energy is entertainment.[5] However, he says, new readers of the series may find it difficult to understand just how ruthless the Culture can be when pursuit an objective.[5]

Kaveney says that Banks makes readers care strongly about Lebedje's mission for justice, and for Yime, a Special Circumstances agent assigned to restrict Lebedje from killing Veppers. In Kaveney's opinion, the various AIs make a less powerful emotional impact as they are not likely to die, but may be entertaining.[5]

Alderman says the most vivid character is the Culture's Abominator-class warship Falling Outside the Normal Moral Constraints, which gleefully destroys an enemy fleet instantly[2] and shows "the personality of a depraved teenage boy".[3]

Alderman says the descriptions of some characters, such as the Special Circumstance agent Yime Nsokyi, as less vivid.[2]

Alderman says, "The novel's real power lies in the absorbing questions it poses about the value of the real, as opposed to the virtual, about who or what is expendable, and whether a society is better held together by threats or by promises."[2]

Roz Kaveney says the book shows in detail the technologies and politics, which mainly will of interest to long-term followers of the series.[5]


Production

References

  1. ^ a b c d Banks, Iain M. (2010). Surface Detail. Great Britain: Orbit Books. p. 627. ISBN 978-1-84149-895-9.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i Alderman, Naomi (Saturday 23 October 2010). "Surface Detail by Iain M Banks – review". The Guardian. Retrieved 29 September 2011. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  3. ^ a b c d Spufford, Francis (26 October 2010). "Book review: Surface Detail, by Iain M Banks". Scotsman.com. Retrieved 5 October 2011.
  4. ^ The mismanaging of the intervention in the religious affair of the Chelgrians is one of the major themes of Look to Windward. See Daoust, Phil (Saturday 2 September 2000). "Brushes with doom". The Guardian. Retrieved 4 October 2011. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  5. ^ a b c d e Kaveney, Roz (Friday, 15 October 2010). "Surface Detail, By Iain M Banks". The Indepentent. Retrieved 4 October 2011. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  6. ^ Johnstone, Doug (Sunday, 7 November 2010). "Surface Detail, By Iain M Banks". The Independent. Retrieved 6 October 2011. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
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