Matter *SPOILERS*
Paul D
*SPOILERS*
I'm surprised there's not been much (any?) discussion of Matter here.
Here goes, anyway...
I mostly really enjoyed the book. The 'mostly' qualifier is a result
of the pacing going utterly bananas towards the end and the fact that
the majority of the questions I was dying to know the answers to were
not answered. Or, if the questions were answered, they were answered
in ways much too subtle and clever to be spotted by me.
Can anyone shed any light on the following?
How did the Oct know that there was something interesting to dig for?
(It seems they must have known prior to transporting the Deldeyn to
the Ninth. Also, it seems likely someone else knew since the level had
been declared No Access.) What made them think that what they were
digging for was Veil?
How did the Aultridia (assuming it was they who communicated with
Oramen) know that the Oct were wrong? And how did they know the Oct
would dig up something dangerous?
The Deldeyn were reluctant diggers (possibly because of information
from the Aultridia), so they recruited the Sarl as their new proxies.
The Sarl were in a position to defeat the Deldeyn because they'd been
set down the path of superior military technology and tactics by the
Culture agent Hyrlis. Was this a long-term Oct/Culture plan? If so,
why did the Culture want to 'help' the Oct? If not was the Culture's
only motive to recruit a Shellworld native for SC (again, why?!)?
And...
Why did the Iln/Iln-Device restrain the Xinthian rather than just nuke
it since it didn't seem to be above vulgar and unnecessary displays of
power? I suspect that if there *is* an answer to this question it must
be somehow tied into the answers to the previous questions and the
origins of the Aultridia.
I keep trying to find a perspective that will make everything make
sense when seen as a big plot to ingratiate the Culture to the
Morthanveld ('Yay! We saved your Shellworld! Now love us.'), but the
callousness of such a plan in terms of likely - or even possible -
casualties seems to me to make it a bit far-fetched.
I nailed everything that was going on in Excession on the re-read, but
I don't think a second go is going to help me much with Matter.
Anyone have any answers, or even up for a discussion on the book?
scia...@gmail.com
can't say I have any solid theories, although it's obvious that
there's some plan or plans afoot behind the scenes. Who knew what
when?
If the Culture wanted a Shellworlder in SC because they suspected the
Iln possibility, why weren't they watching Sursamen? Why is Hyrlis ex-
Culture? Is the Za's Revenge a reference to "Player of Games" and a
hint that the Peace Faction guy is SC?
Paul D
Oh, well..So long as I'm not the only one I don't feel too stupid.
> Is the Za's Revenge a reference to "Player of Games" and a
> hint that the Peace Faction guy is SC?
Seems like you spotted a possibility that flew past me here. I'll have
to check PoG for that reference.
I met Mr B at a book festival in Cheltenham last year. As he signed my
old, worn and loved UoW paperback he suddenly became very enthusiastic
and animated as he launched into an extended monologue, relating how
happy he was about this book. Already slightly awe-struck at meeting
the man I could only goggle dumbly as half of me was thrilled with the
'interaction' and the other half was uncomfortably aware of the queue
of people stretching out of the tent behind me (all clutching their
copies of 'Steep Approach...' and staring daggers at the sci-fi anorak
(i.e. me, for the avoidance of doubt)).
Anyway, I enjoyed the read, and I *do* like it, but I want to like it
more. If I ever meet him again I might have to turn the tables and
buttonhole him with a big list of questions.
Still a bit surprised that no-one else wants to discuss the book here.
I guess this place is dead now though - just us and the tumbleweeds...
I tried to get at the web forum, but I've forgotten the password to my
old account. For some bizarre reason the forum isn't accepting
registrations and there's no obvious way to get in touch with the
admin.
Jill Mills
"Paul D" <pddu...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:97cf59cb-0f80-4e7b...@m73g2000hsh.googlegroups.com...
I've just finished the book - put it down a few minutes ago.
I'll happily discuss it with you.
(As someone says to Number 6, "The night is young and there are many
questions...") :-)
I feel numb and sad at the outcome, but strangely unresolved and not
necessarily in a 'keep 'em guessing' kind of way.
I've heard Mr Banks talk, too, very cleverly, and make lots of jokes.
Hay on Wye, I think it was.
I liked the book very much.
(He uses his protagonists so relentlessly, doesn't he?)
I wasn't gripped by it as much as I was by 'Against a Dark Background' or
'Use of Weapons', though.
(The horror of that chair stays with you.)
Will I buy the next one?
Of course.
I'm fascinated by The Culture and want to see where he goes with it.
Jill
dragi...@gmail.com
> I guess this place is dead now though - just us and the tumbleweeds...
> I tried to get at the web forum, but I've forgotten the password to my
> old account. For some bizarre reason the forum isn't accepting
> registrations and there's no obvious way to get in touch with the
> admin.
Hmmm, there isn't even a link to the forum on http://www.iain-banks.net/
(not that I used it very much). However, let me remind you there's a
mailing list. theculture.org says:
"To subscribe to the Culture Mailing list, send an email to
listm...@busstop.org with the words "subscribe culture" in the body
of the message."
I vaguely remember that in the old days, when both the list and the
newsgroup were far more active, they shared very few members (never
figured out why)...
Cheers!
Bonzi
Heikki Orsila
> If the Culture wanted a Shellworlder in SC because they suspected the
> Iln possibility, why weren't they watching Sursamen?
I doubt they suspected the Iln possibility, otherwise they would have been
the first to search the excavations.
--
Heikki Orsila
heikki...@iki.fi
http://www.iki.fi/shd
Joe Kotroczo
4f703304-4d8d-4223...@m45g2000hsb.googlegroups.com,
"dragi...@gmail.com" <dragi...@gmail.com> wrote:
(...)
> Hmmm, there isn't even a link to the forum on http://www.iain-banks.net/
> (not that I used it very much). However, let me remind you there's a
> mailing list. theculture.org says:
> "To subscribe to the Culture Mailing list, send an email to
> listm...@busstop.org with the words "subscribe culture" in the body
> of the message."
Recipient address: listm...@busstop.org
Reason: Remote SMTP server has rejected address
Diagnostic code: smtp;550 5.1.1 User unknown
--
Joe Kotroczo kotr...@mac.com