The Wasp Factory, By Iain M. Banks

Alex Moon · Post by **Alex Moon** » 2003-12-27 12:53am

Has anyone else read this book? What did you think of it? Personally, I thought it was increadibly good. Dark and weird at times, but very good.

Raxmei · Post by **Raxmei** » 2003-12-27 12:59am

Read it too. My impression was the same as yours. I hear some people really hate it, though.

Alex Moon · Post by **Alex Moon** » 2003-12-27 01:11am

Raxmei wrote:Read it too. My impression was the same as yours. I hear some people really hate it, though.

I can see why. I loved that even though you could guess the ending revelation at about a third of the way through the book, he still managed to make the ending suprising, IMHO. Personally, I wish we had been required to read something like this back in high school english class.

SyntaxVorlon · Post by **SyntaxVorlon** » 2003-12-27 02:07am

I haven't read it yet. If you want dark read Song of Stone. Fucking depressing as all hell.

Shortie · Post by **Shortie** » 2003-12-27 07:50am

I found Song of Stone a bit too depressing, whereas The Wasp Factory was just dark. Complicity was great though, if only because I want to play that game.

Admiral Valdemar · Post by **Admiral Valdemar** » 2003-12-27 01:12pm

It was required reading at A-Level English Lit., but as I did language, I only briefly looked at a copy. I never did get around to reading it.

However, I hear The Crow Road is another one of his best non-SF novels.

The novel has one of the best openings ever.

"It all started the day my Grandmother exploded."