I read "Use of weapons" about 14 years ago
the long unpronouncable names put me off a bit, "amistratoff-Skiramtopf" or whatever the robot was called...
( Colonel Dracula Two manky hookers and a racist dwarf, Mon 24 May 2010, 15:08, 2 replies, latest was 16 years ago)

use of weapons is among my least favourite really
player of games is the fucking business
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Mon 24 May 2010, 15:09, Reply)

Finally
we agree on something! Player of Games is so often read and re-read and re-read that the poor book is battered and threadbare, I must read that at least once a year without fail!
(Halfy By light alone, Mon 24 May 2010, 15:11, Reply)

same here
it was my first iain m banks book, and is still my favourite
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Mon 24 May 2010, 15:12, Reply)

I started at the start
with Consider Phlebas, which in itself is an astounding book, Use of Weapons grew on me after the third read, it starts to make much more sense.

Still haven't finished Feersum Enjinn though, I can't read the damn thing it makes my head hurt
(Halfy By light alone, Mon 24 May 2010, 15:16, Reply)

I should reread use of weapons I think
feersum enjin was a pain in the arse.
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Mon 24 May 2010, 15:17, Reply)

It's a grower
Excession is a book I dig out if blue, the Affornt are brilliant! even better than Ashers Prador
(Halfy By light alone, Mon 24 May 2010, 15:20, Reply)

I love Excession
great book
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Mon 24 May 2010, 15:33, Reply)

I find
with sci-fi its all about the feel of it, if the whole universe and stuff feels ok you can embrace and read it without any problem at all.

Sometimes however if something grates I simply cannot read it, that Peter F Hamilton trilogy where it starts off absolutey brilliant, then when he brings in the 1930's gangsters and loads of Elvis's it annoyed me so much I threw the book away!
(Halfy By light alone, Mon 24 May 2010, 15:14, Reply)

I'm reading a Peter F Hamilton book at the moment
my mate has been pestering me to do so for ages, and I have given in to shut him up. I'd read the previous ones, and the trilogy you talk about and they were pretty average sci fi I'd say. This new one is the biggest fucking book in the world though. I swear it weighs about 5 fucking kilos.

My mate thinks it is the best book he's ever read. I recently came to the conclusion that this is because he is immature.
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Mon 24 May 2010, 15:19, Reply)

Not a huge Hamilton fan
really liking Asher & Macleod at the moment, Adam Roberts stuff is clever but sometimes makes my head hurt, not instantly accessible, the Takeshi Kovacs books of course are ace for mindless daft space punk violence
(Halfy By light alone, Mon 24 May 2010, 15:22, Reply)

It's always awkward
when you're recommended a book and don't enjoy it. I got told by a friend that I simply must read Robert Jordan, and found it quite awkward to say I didn't want to borrow the rest of the books because they were a bit dire.

I think I've done that to Larry Vest with Robin Hobb though
( Amberl was stripey and dominated Europe, Mon 24 May 2010, 15:28, Reply)

I recall liking Robert Jordan when I read it before
and have been intending to recap and finish the series, however, I did also like David Eddings in the past and I can't bear to read his stuff any more because it was tripe.
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Mon 24 May 2010, 15:33, Reply)

Argh the fucking wheel of time
I gave up and almost lost the will to live at book 6.

Luckily I work with two guys with similar but ever so slightly different tastes book wise so we are always lending each other new and different stuff, can be hit or miss but more hits so far.

Not really got the classics apart from a shelf full of Asimov and the 70's stuff from Moorcock at his peak
(Halfy By light alone, Mon 24 May 2010, 15:35, Reply)