Look to Windward

It was one of the less glorious incidents of the Idiran wars that led to the destruction of two suns and the billions of lives they supported. Now, eight hundred years later, the light from the first of those ancient deaths has reached the Culture's Masaq' Orbital. For the Hub Mind, overseer of the massive bracelet world, its arrival is particularly poignant. But it may still be eclipsed by events from the Culture's more recent past.

When the Chelgrian Ziller, a composer of great renown now living in self-imposed exile, learns that an emissary from his home world is being sent to Masaq' Orbital, he fears the worst: that the Chelgrians want him to return. A considerable debt is owed to the Chelgrians, but Ziller is an honoured guest on their world and the Culture would not force him to leave.They know that they are facing a slight diplomatic problem. However, Ziller is not the only thing on the Chelgrian emissary's mind. If his mission is successful, it will illuminate the Culture's future as well as its past.

'A mordant wit, a certain savagery and a wild imagination' MAIL ON SUNDAY
* 'In terms of sheer storytelling prowess and verve, LOOK TO WINDWARD is a work of genius' SFX
* 'Banks keeps ratcheting up the suspense' GUARDIAN
* 'It’s a gymnasium for the imagination' EVENING STANDARD
* 'Banks’s mind-expanding future history is unrivalled for imaginative sweep, startling ideas, and savage but wry sense of humour. One of the very best just got even better' STARBURST

About the Author

Iain Banks came to widespread and controversial public notice with the publication of his first novel, THE WASP FACTORY, in 1984. He has since gained enormous popular and critical acclaim for both his mainstream and his science fiction novels.