{
  "export": {
    "source": "https://urth.darkrealm.vip/thread/urth/1572",
    "note": "Exported from an unofficial mirror of a public mailing list. Copyright in each message remains with the person who wrote it.  Email addresses are obscured as `user at host`, the form the original archive published. This file was rebuilt from parsed fields rather than retained headers, so it is faithful in content but not byte-exact.",
    "addresses": "obscured as 'user at host'"
  },
  "archive": "urth",
  "thread": {
    "id": 1572,
    "subject": "Bank's Inversions",
    "messages": 1,
    "voices": 1,
    "first": "1999-04-23T23:20:52+00:00",
    "last": "1999-04-23T23:20:52+00:00"
  },
  "messages": [
    {
      "message_id": "<urth-v0026-0019@digest.urth.net>",
      "from": {
        "name": "Peter T. Cash",
        "address": "ptcash at ibm.net"
      },
      "date": "1999-04-23T23:20:52+00:00",
      "subject": "(urth) Bank's Inversions",
      "in_reply_to": null,
      "reply_link": null,
      "blocks": [
        {
          "kind": "text",
          "depth": 0,
          "text": "WARNING: Mild spoilers below for Ian Banks' _Inversions_.\n\nI was writing a post for the rec.arts.sf.written newsgroup about Ian Banks'\nnovel _Inversions_ when I was struck by the realization that Banks'\nnarrative technique and plot development in this book are very Wolfean.\nBriefly put, it's the story of two people, a beautiful (as well as female)\ndoctor and a hyper-efficient bodyguard with a partiality to black leather\nand disfigured women. The reader soon realizes that one or both of these\ncharacters is not native to the planet on which the two stories took place.\nOn the surface, it seems as though the stories are not connected, though\neventually we find clues to the contrary. I don't want to reveal more about\nthe plot, since that would definitely ruin this plot-centric book for you. I\nwill say that some important ethical questions are addressed--in particular\nthe question of whether the ends justify the means. I will also say,\n\"Beware! Things may not be as they seem.\"\n\nOne similarity between Inversions and some Wolfish works is the Suspect\nText. As in \"Seven American Nights\" and _Fifth Head of Cerberus_, we have\nreason to suspect that the narrator may not be telling the entire truth, or\nthat the text may have suffered some corruption as it passed through the\nhands of others. It may even be that the text is mostly or entirely invented\n(a lovely notion in a work of fiction, I think). The narrative is a redacted\nmanuscript half of which was originally (and allegedly) written by the\ndoctor's assistant, Oelph. That Oelph was smitten by love for the beautiful\ndoctor is one reason to suspect that he may have shaded the truth. Also,\nOelph's knowledge of the doctor and of her actions is very limited. I will\nnot tell you who I think wrote the other half of the manuscript (the one\nabout the bodyguard), but I will say that this person was a participant in\nthe events described by the story, and has reasons to shade or hide the\ntruth as well.\n\nAnother similarity is the use of misdirection. Like Wolfe, Banks plants some\nclues that seem to point in one direction, but perhaps should not be taken\nat face value. Also, it is evident at the end that a whole lot of things\nhave been going on behind the scenes, and that these goings-on may\ncompletely change our understanding and evaluation of the characters and\ntheir actions. Like Wolfe, Banks has mastered the use of ellipsis.\n\nI do think that if you like Wolfe, then you are likely to enjoy the Banks\nnovel. And if you read it, I'd like to discuss the details with you.\n\nYou do not have to be familiar with Banks' other novels in order to enjoy\nthis book, though a familiarity with the \"Culture\" novels (e.g., _Player of\nGames_ and _Use of Weapons_) will help you understand some nuances that you\nmight otherwise miss. Since I think you should go straight to _Inversions_\nand read the others later, I will give you a crash course in the Culture.\n\nHere is all you need to know:\n\n1. The Culture is an interstellar...well...culture populated by very bright\npeople and hyper-intelligent artificial Minds.\n\n2. The Culture sometimes interferes with primitive civilizations if it's\nnecessary to remove a threat.\n\n3. The organization that does the dirty work is called \"Special\nCircumstances\". Special Circumstances agents are usually very well armed\n(e.g., with intelligent \"knife missiles\" and other scary paraphernalia).\n\nAt certain points in _Inversions_, you may find the words \"culture\" and\n\"special circumstances\" used. You may wish to draw conclusions from this. Or\nyou may not.\n\nSgt. Rock"
        }
      ]
    }
  ]
}