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Surface Detail
- A Culture Novel
- Narrated by: Peter Kenny
- Length: 20 hrs and 23 mins
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At first, only a few things are known about the celestial object that astronomers dub Rama. It is huge, weighing more than ten trillion tons. And it is hurtling through the solar system at inconceivable speed. Then a space probe confirms the unthinkable: Rama is no natural object. It is, incredibly, an interstellar spacecraft. Space explorers and planet-bound scientists alike prepare for mankind's first encounter with alien intelligence.
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Domo Arigato Mr. Roboto
- By Fredrik Pettersen on 08-03-09
By: Arthur C. Clarke
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Ninefox Gambit
- By: Yoon Ha Lee
- Narrated by: Emily Woo Zeller
- Length: 10 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
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To win an impossible war, Captain Kel Cheris must awaken an ancient weapon and a despised traitor general.
Captain Kel Cheris of the Hexarchate is disgraced for using unconventional methods in a battle against heretics. Kel Command gives her the opportunity to redeem herself by retaking the Fortress of Scattered Needles, a star fortress that has recently been captured by heretics. Cheris' career isn't the only thing at stake. If the fortress falls, the Hexarchate itself might be next.
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Just too confusing with enough context
- By Jose Alvarez on 04-02-17
By: Yoon Ha Lee
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Gateway
- By: Frederik Pohl
- Narrated by: Oliver Wyman, Robert J. Sawyer
- Length: 8 hrs and 37 mins
- Unabridged
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When prospector Bob Broadhead went out to Gateway on the Heechee spacecraft, he decided he would know which was the right mission to make him his fortune. Three missions later, now famous and permanently rich, Robinette Broadhead has to face what happened to him and what he is...in a journey into himself as perilous and even more horrifying than the nightmare trip through the interstellar void that he drove himself to take!
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A human-focused SF classic
- By Ryan on 12-05-13
By: Frederik Pohl
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Salvation
- Salvation Sequence, Book 1
- By: Peter F. Hamilton
- Narrated by: John Lee
- Length: 19 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
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In 2204, humanity is expanding into the wider galaxy in leaps and bounds. Cutting-edge technology of linked jump gates has rendered most forms of transportation - including starships - virtually obsolete. Every place on Earth, every distant planet humankind has settled, is now a step away from any other. And all seems wonderful - until a crashed alien spaceship of unknown origin is found on a newly located world 89 light-years from Earth, carrying a cargo as strange as it is horrifying. To assess the potential of the threat a high-powered team is dispatched to investigate. But one of them may not be all they seem....
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Wait For Book 2
- By StrikitRich on 09-26-18
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Revelation Space
- By: Alastair Reynolds
- Narrated by: John Lee
- Length: 22 hrs and 12 mins
- Unabridged
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Nine hundred thousand years ago, something annihilated the Amarantin civilization just as it was on the verge of discovering space flight. Now one scientist, Dan Sylveste, will stop at nothing to solve the Amarantin riddle before ancient history repeats itself. With no other resources at his disposal, Sylveste forges a dangerous alliance with the cyborg crew of the starship Nostalgia for Infinity. But as he closes in on the secret, a killer closes in on him because the Amarantin were destroyed for a reason.
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Defeated
- By Eoin on 07-15-12
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Ilium
- By: Dan Simmons
- Narrated by: Kevin Pariseau
- Length: 29 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
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From the towering heights of Olympos Mons on Mars, the mighty Zeus and his immortal family of gods, goddesses, and demigods look down upon a momentous battle, observing - and often influencing - the legendary exploits of Paris, Achilles, Hector, Odysseus, and the clashing armies of Greece and Troy. Thomas Hockenberry, former 21st-century professor and Iliad scholar, watches as well. It is Hockenberry's duty to observe and report on the Trojan War's progress to the so-called deities who saw fit to return him from the dead.
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Achaeans and robots and post-humans, oh my
- By Ryan on 04-11-14
By: Dan Simmons
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Cage of Souls
- By: Adrian Tchaikovsky
- Narrated by: David Thorpe
- Length: 23 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
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The sun is bloated, diseased, dying perhaps. Beneath its baneful light, Shadrapar, last of all cities, harbours fewer than 100,000 human souls. Built on the ruins of countless civilisations, Shadrapar is a museum, a midden, an asylum, a prison on a world that is ever more alien to humanity. Bearing witness to the desperate struggle for existence between life old and new is Stefan Advani: rebel, outlaw, prisoner, survivor.
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Slow Start, Strong Finish
- By Jacob McCollum on 05-01-23
What listeners say about Surface Detail
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Moore Creative
- 01-15-16
Ian Banks is a master of surprise endings
Where does Surface Detail rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?
An excellent dramatization by Peter Kenny! Such voices and inflection. An excellent story with plenty of "stuck in the driveway still listening to a chapter end" moments.
What was one of the most memorable moments of Surface Detail?
Like a collection of short stories with different characters that do not overlap, the culmination of the plot brings all characters together in a meaningful way that is enhanced by the disparate nature of their origins and motivations. Ian Bank's brilliance, though shines in his presenting the expected showdown events with turns and points unexpected. Throw in complete surprise elements and you have a riveting story that ends with a bang.
Which character – as performed by Peter Kenny – was your favorite?
the difference in voices, accents, speed and delivery intonations as different between characters, that's what I love about Peter Kenny's craft.
Any additional comments?
I struggled to find a good order to read Ian Banks books, having stumbled upon "Use of Weapons" in a list of "best surprise endings with a twist" sci-fi stories ever. They were right, it is an amazingly excellent surprise twist that you have to make sure doesn't get spoiled for you.
That book, Use of Weapons is a great introduction to the Culture novels as it outlines many of the structures and ideas of the Culture. So I would definitely recommend it as a first book to read. This one, "Surface Detail" is another of course, and here is how I would recommend anyone read their first few...
1. Use of Weapons - Introduction to the Culture
2. The Player of Games - Story set in Culture environment
3. Surface Detail - Story that furthers Culture views, values and SC workings
I'm off now to pick my next Culture novel to dive into.
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- monicae
- 04-11-16
Good Book
Narrator was fantastic!! Book was interesting. One does need a background w/ the Culture to enjoy this book.
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- Dogmouth
- 11-08-19
My Favorite Sci-fi Novel
Amazing book, amazing narration. So many interesting ideas. Just finished a re-listen. Culture at its very best.
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- Chris H
- 11-11-21
Good but not his best
I didn't love this one. I gave it 5 stars anyway because it's still far ahead of most things that other people give 5 stars to. But to me it was showing signs he was tired of the culture universe. It didn't have the same sweeping grandeur that the earlier novels, like Consider Phlebas, and Excession, had. It wasn't as much fun. But it was still great fun, and the culture was still the top dog and did what it had to and should do.
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- Matt Carothers
- 06-21-11
If you like Alastair Reynolds or Peter F. Hamilton
... you'll love this. I picked this up because Reynolds lists Banks as one of his inspirations, and I was not disappointed! The narrator is excellent too.
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- Zerocleft
- 05-11-22
incredible
this is ne of the few truly original and interesting sci-fi universes. I highly recommend the series.
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- wendy
- 10-25-11
Latest Culture novel is great!
Would you listen to Surface Detail again? Why?
Yes, I would. This was one of my favorite books recently.
What was your reaction to the ending? (No spoilers please!)
As with many Banks books, I did feel that the ending was a bit rushed. Part of that could be my sadness that this one was ending and now there will be a multi year wait for his next Culture novel!
Which scene was your favorite?
I liked the best the chase scene on the underground city with the Special Circumstances Agent.
Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?
Yes!
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8 people found this helpful
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- Peter
- 05-06-15
Brilliant storytelling!
As always, a very good listen with fairly mindboggling changes in storytelling perspective. Somewhat demanding and compex. If you let your attention drop for a while the narrative could litteraly have you transported to an entirely new part of the universe or even another dimension altogether! But to me this is what Iain Banks is all about.
Peter Kennedy is absolutely fantastic. His ability to make up new phrasings, dialects and voicings for the sometimes very disparate character gallery is second to none. His personification of Culture drones, minds and other wierd aliens sometimes make me laugh out loud (not always part of the social contract when commuting to work)...
A solid listen for Culture fans!
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1 person found this helpful
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- James Wright
- 03-07-11
Absolutely fantastic
I've read a few of the culture novels, I love the way Mr Banks describes the technology and AI of the culture ships and drones. The story was very interesting and kept me entertained, however by far the most enjoyable part of the experience is narration by Mr Kenny, his voice characterisations where amazing and very convincing! This is definitely worth a credit. I'm looking forward to listening to Consider Phlebas and Transition.
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- mass1338
- 10-02-22
Superb sci fi
As a casual sci fi reader, I was incredibly impressed with this novel. Opened my eyes on the depth and creativity that is possible.
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