Rating: 
Summary: Another tough one from Iain Banks
Review: I am very interested in what Banks has to say and how he says it, but I find several of his books, including this one, to be heavy going.The stage upon which this tale is set is a phenomenally immense "castle", so large that each room is kilometers across, and a person may live in the eye socket of one of the decorative gargoyles. In addition to distorting our sense of space, Banks toys with our sense of time by giving humans 8 + 8 lives; 8 in normal reality, and 8 in a virtual reality. Time in virtual space passes at a much much slower rate than normal time. The characters of this tale inhabit both the real and virtual spaces and times as they work out their own involvements with the impending "Encroachment", and their attempts to avoid a catastrophic end to all life on Earth. I stumbled along, enjoying the trip but not the struggle. An interesting trip it was, but now on to lighter fare for a while. Interesting but not an easy read.
Rating: 
Summary: Maybe 2.5
Review: I guess I missed the appeal of this story. I would have enjoyed it if the author had done a better job of explaining the set-up earlier in the book. Challenging reading is fine with me, but I can't remember when I had such a hard time trying to determine what/when/where/why, etc. The reviews which led me to try this book presented such an interesting picture, but it didn't live up to it. Contrary to other reviewers, I did enjoy Bascule's phonetic speech - it helped to shape him as a character. In closing, if you must get this, go to Amazon UK.
Rating: 
Summary: wonderful stuff...again :)
Review: I love Iain Banks novels, so I guess I might be a tad biased in reviewing is works, but you have to belive me when I say that this is one of his best books, and that is saying a lot believe me. The setting is a far future earth with gargantuan buildings, and a moribund society (in some respects at least). The setting would be familiar to readers of Gene Wolfes equally excellent New Sun series. Super technology, and strange beasts populate this world that possesses a really likeable version of the internet. A highlight of the book is Bascule the Teller's speech pattern, and in fact his entire banter, which is done phonetically. Count Sessine, a mysterious woman from the crypt (whose introduction sequence is really good by the way) and Scientist Gadfium make up the other protagonists of this story about an armageddon-like event approaching the earth. READ THE BOOK NOW AND BE AMAZED. nuff said.
Rating:
Summary: It's mindblowing
Review: I think the novel is a great work of art, full of beautiful images, great characters. I'm often bored by Sience Fiction which always consists of the same key-elements, but Iain Banks SF-novels are in fact non-genre novels more comparable to other great novels in literature. Read 'Feersum Endjinn'- you will love it.
Rating:
Summary: It haunts me still
Review: I was lucky enought to read Feersum Endjinn in September of 1995, just after it was released. While it was on loan from a friend, it was one of those books that work a certain magic on the dedicated reader's heart- I wanted to keep it because it meant so much to me. If the key to writing a brilliant and effective novel is to interweave lifelike characters, subtle plotlines and innovative ideas, then Iain Banks is possessed of a rare talent. I had been tring to get my hands on a copy of this book for a couple of years when it appeared on Amazon. For goodness' sake- if you read the blurb, you have some grasp of the plot. Forget it. Just buy this one and read it. Also- extra points for the great title.
Rating: 
Summary: Terrific SF for non-SF readers
Review: I'm not a sci-fi person generally, but I thought this was a terrific, terrific book. Banks creates a spectacularly complete world in which his separate plot lines bend and weave with authority and certainty. I have rarely encountered an author so creative or a fictional world so comprehensive. He demonstrates his total literary mastery, however, in sekshuns writen fonetily, toled by a ok, nun to brite felo hoo seez mutch more than mosst peepul do. Whereas the same technique drove me bonkers in "Riddley Walker", in "Feersum Endjinn" I found myself looking forward to the phonetic sections and the point of view expressed in them. Amazing experience.
Rating:
Summary: confusing but fun to read
Review: I'm so serious I still have no freaken clue what ... was going on in this book (I bet you Banks wrote it while on acid) but hey what a fun read.That kid Bascule and his talking pet ant are fun charachters too.From what I could figure out,it had somthing to do with an impending distaster that is gonna hit the earth and a conspiricy to try to cover it up. What I cant figure out though is if they stoped the disaster in time, who rules earth, what time they are living in, what reality most of the book is taking place in, you know unimportant stuff like that. I guess I really should read it over again, but that would probably take me a while seeing as half of it is written in whackily confusing phonetics which make reading it like trying to decipher another language. Despite all of these facts though it seriously is a really fun read.
Rating:
Summary: Passable fare for Banks fans
Review: Iain M. Banks is one of the best living writers of science fiction. At his best, he offers intricate world-building, exciting intrigue, and strong characters. This book is not his best, and will certainly disappoint many fans of his Culture series. The plot has lots of fantasy elements and boring anything-goes virtual reality sequences. Although he has built an interesting world here, the plot doesn't move along and the characters are often annoying. Although worth a read for Banks fans like me, if you haven't read the Culture novels, start there first (but avoid at all costs his story of Scottish hippies, "The Bridge").
Rating:
Summary: gud spelling in dis wun
Review: james joyce in slan letters watt is a smauel beckett??? scuze my typoz dunno have nae proof reader highly reckon mended
Rating:
Summary: hallmark event in my life to read this book
Review: my first sci-fci book, what a cruel introduction! the novel had me swimming in my own imagination, and re-reading everything. i can't say i 'grasped' everything in the book, but my eye's were opened (a good friend recommended it) to a new genre of lit. the ideas presented in this book are deep. i loved this book, and i am not a sci fi buf!
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