# Iain Banks (1954 – 2013)
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iain-banks-1954-2013/660554
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Created:** [June 9, 2013, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iain-banks-1954-2013/660554 "2013-06-09T15:24:04Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)
#### Post date: [June 9, 2013, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iain-banks-1954-2013/660554/1 "2013-06-09T15:24:04Z")
> **[Iain Banks dies of cancer aged 59](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-22835047)**
>
> The Wasp Factory author Iain Banks has died aged 59, two months after announcing he had terminal cancer, his family says.
“Author Iain Banks has died aged 59, two months after announcing he had terminal cancer, his family has said.”
I expect tributes to be posted in various places over the next few days; I’ll post links when I see them.
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### Author:  [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)
#### Post date: [June 9, 2013, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iain-banks-1954-2013/660554/2 "2013-06-09T15:35:31Z")
☹
RIP Mr. Banks.
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### Author:  [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)
#### Post date: [June 9, 2013, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iain-banks-1954-2013/660554/3 "2013-06-09T15:41:54Z")
Ach, damn. I hope the outpouring of love from his fans gave him some comfort in his last days.
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### Author:  [@Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Le_Ministre_de_l_au-dela)
#### Post date: [June 9, 2013, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iain-banks-1954-2013/660554/4 "2013-06-09T16:30:25Z")
“It was the day my grandmother exploded.” is the best opening line of all time. I’m hoping someone loads his coffin with fireworks for a truly grand send-off.
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### Author:  [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)
#### Post date: [June 9, 2013, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iain-banks-1954-2013/660554/5 "2013-06-09T16:41:00Z")
I remember reading The Wasp Factory when it first came out. I liked it a lot.
Sorry to hear the news.
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### Author:  [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)
#### Post date: [June 9, 2013, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iain-banks-1954-2013/660554/6 "2013-06-09T17:33:57Z")
I just got into the Culture novels last year; was sorry to hear about his illness.
Now that I’ve read more of his work, I’m even sorrier to hear that we won’t be able to enjoy more of the fantastic things that went on in Mr. Banks’ head.
RIP, Mr. Banks. You done good.
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### Author:  [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)
#### Post date: [June 9, 2013, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iain-banks-1954-2013/660554/7 "2013-06-09T18:24:18Z")
That’s sad - he is one of my favourite authors and wrote my all-time top SF book (_Player of Games_). I knew it was coming, but still, not a happy day.
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### Author:  [@Damfino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Damfino)
#### Post date: [June 9, 2013, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iain-banks-1954-2013/660554/8 "2013-06-09T23:39:26Z")
Very sad. I really liked his science fiction and was blown away by the last two I read .
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### Author:  [@MoodIndigo1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MoodIndigo1)
#### Post date: [June 10, 2013, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iain-banks-1954-2013/660554/9 "2013-06-10T02:25:31Z")
Both his straight fiction and his SF were extraordinary. I regret his dying at such a young age. I wish I had known about his website before this.
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### Author:  [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)
#### Post date: [June 10, 2013, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iain-banks-1954-2013/660554/10 "2013-06-10T02:30:50Z")
I am glad that he lived. He took his talent and really ran with it. I feel certain he did not die wondering what might have been.
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### Author:  [@brujaja](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brujaja)
#### Post date: [June 10, 2013, 9:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iain-banks-1954-2013/660554/11 "2013-06-10T09:10:37Z")
> [@Evil\_Captor](#):
>
> I am glad that he lived. He took his talent and really ran with it. I feel certain he did not die wondering what might have been.
That is such a lovely thing to say.
One of my very favorite authors. I always marvelled at his very unique ideas. Brilliant man, alas.
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### Author:  [@Slade](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slade)
#### Post date: [June 10, 2013, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iain-banks-1954-2013/660554/12 "2013-06-10T13:08:43Z")
The BBC confirmed this morning that Banks’ publishers managed to get an advance copy of his new novel to him just a few days before he died.
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### Author:  [@Terr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terr)
#### Post date: [June 10, 2013, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iain-banks-1954-2013/660554/13 "2013-06-10T13:31:19Z")
dammit. No more Culture novels…
RIP Iain. You provided hours of pleasurable reading for me.
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### Author:  [@Dervorin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dervorin)
#### Post date: [June 10, 2013, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iain-banks-1954-2013/660554/14 "2013-06-10T13:34:02Z")
Ah, dammit. One of my favourite authors. After the announcement of the cancer earlier in the year, this wasn’t a surprise, but I was still sorry to read about it.
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### Author:  [@black\_rabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/black_rabbit)
#### Post date: [June 10, 2013, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iain-banks-1954-2013/660554/15 "2013-06-10T13:51:57Z")
GOU _Total Bummer_.
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### Author:  [@Damfino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Damfino)
#### Post date: [June 10, 2013, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iain-banks-1954-2013/660554/16 "2013-06-10T21:17:58Z")
> [@Terr](#):
>
> dammit. No more Culture novels…
>
> RIP Iain. You provided hours of pleasurable reading for me.
There are a couple of non Culture science fiction novels well worth reading, \* Against a Dark Background \* and \* The Algebraist \*.
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### Author:  [@Terr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terr)
#### Post date: [June 10, 2013, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iain-banks-1954-2013/660554/17 "2013-06-10T21:44:54Z")
> [@Damfino](#):
>
> There are a couple of non Culture science fiction novels well worth reading, \* Against a Dark Background \* and \* The Algebraist \*.
Yeah, I have read every Iain M. Banks book out there. Never read any Iain Banks’ books, but then I am not into mysteries…
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### Author:  [@markdash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markdash)
#### Post date: [June 10, 2013, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iain-banks-1954-2013/660554/18 "2013-06-10T21:47:26Z")
I have only read “Raw Spirit” among his Iain Banks books, and enjoyed it greatly.
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### Author:  [@Atomic\_Alex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atomic_Alex)
#### Post date: [June 10, 2013, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iain-banks-1954-2013/660554/19 "2013-06-10T21:59:20Z")
My favourite author, godspeed Iain Banks, I don’t drink whisky but I’ll have one in your honour.
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### Author:  [@lisiate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lisiate)
#### Post date: [June 10, 2013, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iain-banks-1954-2013/660554/20 "2013-06-10T22:41:58Z")
Very sad, he was a great writer.
I’m reading _The Hydrogen Sonata_ at the moment, it’s kind of an appropriate send-off.
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