A Song of Stone by Iain Banks (First UK Edition)

Iain Banks

ISBN 10: 0316640166 / ISBN 13: 9780316640169

Published by Abacus, London, 1997

About this Item

A Song of Stone by Iain Banks (First UK Edition) Tight copy. Bumping to top right corners. Clean text block. Sharp, bright jacket. Clear protective cover. Not price-clipped. First edition, stated, "First Published in great Britain1977 by Abacus.". Seller Inventory # HCX20649-1

Bibliographic Details

Title: A Song of Stone by Iain Banks (First UK ...

Publisher: Abacus, London

Publication Date: 1997

Binding: Hardcover

Illustrator: Peter Brown(Jacket Illustration)

Condition: Near Fine

Dust Jacket Condition: Fine

Edition: First Edition.

Book Type: BOOK

About this title

Synopsis:

Physical description: 280 p. ; 20 cm. Subjects: English fiction.

Review:

This brutal tale starts in a bleak, brutal European any-war. Abel and Morgan live in a forboding castle, alone and isolated, until the conflict intrudes on their numb lives in the form of a cruel mercenary lieutenant and her violent, ravaging men who take up residence. From there, the tale disintegrates into darkness and atrocity, punctuated by Abel's memories of earlier joy and pain. Iain Banks pushes the story steadily downward, dragging the morbidly fascinated reader into the depths of human despair. Gang rape, torture, and incest are seen through Abel's uncaring eyes--this book is not for the squeamish. And although Banks strives for a Passion play in the end, what's missing is even the tiniest kernel of real redemption. Fans of The Wasp Factory and Banks's other non-science fiction works will find familiar details here, but A Song of Stone stands alone as a fable of hopelessness. --Therese Littleton