Transition

By: Iain M. Banks

Narrated by: Peter Kenny

Length: 13 hrs and 37 mins

Publisher's summary

There is a world that hangs suspended between triumph and catastrophe, between the dismantling of the Wall and the fall of the Twin Towers, frozen in the shadow of suicide terrorism and global financial collapse. Such a world requires a firm hand and a guiding light. But does it need the Concern: an all-powerful organization with a malevolent presiding genius, pervasive influence and numberless invisible operatives in possession of extraordinary powers?

Among those operatives are Temudjin Oh, of mysterious Mongolian origins, an un-killable assassin who journeys between the peaks of Nepal, a version of Victorian London, and the dark palaces of Venice under snow; Adrian Cubbish, a restlessly greedy City trader; and a nameless, faceless state-sponsored torturer known only as the Philosopher, who moves between time zones with sinister ease.

Then there are those who question the Concern: the bandit queen Mrs. Mulverhill, roaming the worlds recruiting rebels to her side; and Patient 8262, under sedation and feigning madness in a forgotten hospital ward, in hiding from a dirty past.

There is a world that needs help - but whether it needs the Concern is a different matter.

©2009 Iain M. Banks (P)2009 Hachette

Finally an Iain M. Banks book on audible...

I've been a long time fan of Iain M. Banks, especially his sci fi -- the Culture books in particular. I search his name in Audible every month. I wish there were audio versions of all these books -- Player of Games, Consider Phlebas, Use of Weapons, Excession, etc. ...

Banks' ideas and characters are inspired. His plots are improved with a second reading (listening), when you recognize details and have insights into the secrets of his fascinating characters.

Transition weaves the stories of six people through time and alternate dimensions. Among them a despotic bureaucrat and her moralistically superior outlaw rival, a narcissistic stock broker, a torturer, and the transitioner -- a sympathetic assassin who can "flit" his consciousness into another body in another dimension. Banks explores this cool concept in depth.

The narrator is fantastic. I'm going to look for other books read by him.

There are scenes in this book, like most of Banks' books, that are very harsh. The torturer's story, for example, is hard to listen to at times. This is definitely not a book for kids.

Highly recommended. If you enjoy books like Snow Crash, William Gibson, etc., then you'll probably like it a lot.

Brilliant Science Fiction

I'm so grateful to Iain M. Banks for writing yet another complex, moving, intelligent and well told story and for Peter Kenny for doing such a wonderful job narrating it. Transition is a book worthy of the this same science fiction author who wrong "Look to Windward" and the "Algebraist".

Please be aware that Iain M. Banks tends to write very richly crafted villains as well as heroes, so if you're squeamish he's not for you. I'm not squeamish, of course, and love his style.

Finally, part of what makes Transition so rich is that it ties itself obliquely yet solidly to problems we face in our world, and he lets us make judgements for ourselves without telling us what to think. This is a great book.

Banks is a master of complex challenging sci-fi

I'm a huge Iain M Banks fan, and this book has been my favorite listen on audible so far. If only there were more of his books here. Please please please add some from the Culture Universe.

Banks writes complex, thoughtful and challenging sci-fi.... exploring themes in which morality is curved, good and evil are never quite straightforward and the narration can be interestingly non linear. If you like your protagonists to be sometimes flawed while always interesting, and your antagonists sometimes sympathetic yet always vile. Take a ride with Banks.

Peter Kenny's narration is superlative. Many readers could easily subtract from the genius of Banks' writing. I found it difficult to imagine anyone adding to it, but Kenny does so, bringing the subtleties of the characters out quite beautifully with his range of voice and accent. Brilliant.

Fantastic

Stunning book. It takes some concerntration, as do all Iain Bank's book, but it is well worth the effort. One of the the most innovative writers. More please!

Transition

A good read (listen). Banks never fails to surprise. Peter Kenny brings the story to life Banks has a number of other SF books available from Audible in the UK. Why not here?

Stunning

Took some time for the story to unfold--as is often the case with Banks' books. But he is one of my top 5 favorite authors and I knew it was worth being patient and allowing the story to unfold. I was not disappointed. This is a great story. The narrator is fantastic.

How I wish there were more Iain Banks novels on Audible.

First rate

I loved this book. Five stars! It was confusing at first (but in an interesting way,) but became more clear as it went on. Banks is the most wildly creative writer I've "read" in ages. I just wish I could get all his work here. Much to my annoyance some of his audio books are available in England though not here.

Fun catch-me-if-you-can multiple worlds novel

Would you try another book from Iain M. Banks and/or Peter Kenny?

This is not a Culture novel. I mistakenly thought it was. I love Banks and I love Peter Kenny's narration.

What was your reaction to the ending? (No spoilers please!)

I haven't read a multiple worlds novel that really satisfied me. It all seems a bit too easy. In this novel, you have a secretive high-control organization that acts as the gateway to the multiple earths. In the end, the motivation of the organization and it's tyrannical leader remain a bit unclear in an unsatisfying way.

Have you listened to any of Peter Kenny’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Peter Kenny's great.

Do you think Transition needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?

Alas, Iain Banks has passed away. Yes, this novel begs for a follow-up, but I don't see it happening.

A waste on money

Not only was the book boring, its fixation on toture was very off-putting. I give two stars because, like book 1 of the Splatterjay series, there is a story somewhere in there amongst the shock and gore.

Read anything else by Iain M. Banks

Banks defines the "New Space Opera". Go get some "Culture" (that's what his longest series is called) or even better; The Algebraist. This trash-novel ended faster than i expected, and i was relieved.