Damn I just finished Use of Weapons the other night (I’m slowly working through the Culture novels two decades after the rest of you). This is very sad news.
By far my favourite author and the only person I would buy his latest books when newly released.
Thanks for many hours of pleasurable reading Mr Banks and for presenting an optimistic view of human (and AI) potential. You showed at least one insular Irish boy an entirely new universe and way of thinking, I’m not sure there’s really any way to truly thank someone for that.
On a purely selfish note I’m sorry that now we’re never going to see what his long term plans were for The Culture (best sci-fi setting ever).
Awful, terrible news. He was one of my wife’s favorite (if not favorite) authors. I’m not big on SF in general but his stuff is very well written.
I’m halfway through Raw Spirit and I can’t help but think the rest of the book will seem rather melancholy now. 
I like all his SF novels, but yes, he is getting more stunning each time. The last three I read, *Look to Windward *, *Surface Detail *, and * The Algebraist * were all amazing . He is irreplaceable .
Another favourite (bearded) author , Terry Pratchett had an equally brave and witty response to his diagnosis .
Sorry I can’t link but it was titled An Embuggerance and should be easy to Google.
This is terrible news to so many. I don’t know what to say. Pax vobiscum . And let’s hope for a medical breakthrough …
Never was a fan of his Sci Fi, but I loved The Wasp Factory and The Bridge. May he drown in an orgy of bliss during his final months.
The Crow Road is one of my favourite books, terrible news.
Very sad news. I haven’t yet had the pleasure of reading his books, but he’s been a tremendous influence on the SF field for at least two decades.
And Jay Lake, too? Two talented authors we’re soon going to lose? This isn’t a very funny April Fool’s joke, God.
How awful.
Awww, that sucks. B&N had a special sale on the first Culture book a while ago (99 cents on Nook) and I got it, but now it’s not really worth it to read it – if I like it, I’ll get too sad thinking about the author dying (this has also totally ruined Discworld for me)
To use one of his Culture memes, he is about to sublime.
An expression used when a particular species vanishes from the immediate and now and goes somewhere ‘else’.
I too will miss his idiosyncratic appearances on radio and tv, his odd/even year publication of ‘sciffy’ (his transliteration of sci-fi) and his mainstream fiction.
Above all the wit to create characters and societies that were plausible, funny and complex. Despite describing situations of great moral ambiguity he never imposed his personal credo on the reader, enough to have read and understood.
I’m up to copy number six of a few of his sci-fi books, ‘use of weapons’, ‘consider phlebeas’, just because I thought it better to spread the word and lend the books rather than insist on their return.
If any of you good dopers aren’t science fiction readers The Crow Road is a slightly bizzare Scots family history, Espedair St. is a laugh in the darkness tale of rock and roll and it’s aftermath. The Business, well it’s everything about the folks in the background.
There’s a long list of tributes and articles on the guardian: http://www.guardian.co.uk/search?q=ian+banks§ion=
Damn, damn and double damn and a quit an intense fury against OG.
Peter
Based on my name here, you can probably guess how I feel about this.
Shit. This is NOT turning into a good month so far.
More from Iain here: Iain Banks posts new message to fans about his terminal cancer | Books | The Guardian
Todays Guardian.
Hell, I hope I have the courage and wit to face my own demise with such humour and equanimity.
Peter
I think this is my favourite part -
Thank you both for adding links. I hope you will continue to do so, despite the zombification of the thread.