
Matter
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Narrated by:
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Toby Longworth
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By:
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Iain M. Banks
Only the sister is not what she once was; Djan Seriy Anaplian has changed almost beyond recognition to become an agent of the Culture's Special Circumstances section, charged with high-level interference in civilisations throughout the greater galaxy.
Concealing her new identity - and her particular set of abilities - might be a dangerous strategy, however. In the world to which Anaplian returns, nothing is quite as it seems; and determining the appropriate level of interference in someone else's war is never a simple matter.
Matter is a novel of dazzling wit and serious purpose. An extraordinary feat of storytelling and breathtaking invention on a grand scale, it is a tour de force from a writer who has turned science fiction on its head.
©2009 Iain M. Banks (P)2009 HachetteListeners also enjoyed...




















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I haven’t read the actual book, but the story and performance are both solid...however, it’s somewhat clear that they have cut something out of the book. It’s not as clear what is missing, but certain of the types of world-building that normally occur are missing, and the story seems to suddenly leap into high gear out of nowhere.
The ending is completely and obviously sliced to death - in a way that actually makes it difficult to follow. I actually went back and listened to it two other times to make sure I didn’t miss something...but nope, it’s just not there.
(And there’s no epilogue.)
This was an extremely disappointing entry.
Abridged version? Just say no!
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Horribly Abridged
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What would have made Matter better?
If this review were a Culture spaceship it would be called the "GSV Not What I Was Expecting". I should've looked before I bought. I've been on an Iain Banks binge lately. I bought this just because of his name. The abridgment of the story takes a lot of Banks' great writing away. I left completely disappointed. It would've been better if I skipped purchasing this recording.What three words best describe Toby Longworth’s performance?
Not Peter Kenny [but not a bad performance]If you could play editor, what scene or scenes would you have cut from Matter?
The problem is that too much was cut.Any additional comments?
Don't buy this. If you're a fan of Iain Banks you'll most likely walk away as disappointed as I was. If you're new to Banks and the Culture series this isn't a good introduction at all. Try one of the unabridged novels. Consider Phlebas is a great place to start.Beware! This is the ABRIDGED version
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Absolute trash, I wish I'd read the reviews first. DO NOT BUY.
Chunks of the story missing
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This book wasn’t for you, but who do you think might enjoy it more?
Someone who hasn't read the book or doesn't realize how bad the abridgement is and what a chopped up terrible version they're listening to.Has Matter turned you off from other books in this genre?
Only so far as I will never listen to another abridged version of an Iain M. Banks book from audible (US).What didn’t you like about Toby Longworth’s performance?
He was fine.What character would you cut from Matter?
None.Any additional comments?
This is a terrible abridgement of a wonderful Culture book. It made me wish it was a cassette so I could break it. I wonder if Mr. Banks approved this horrible massacre of his book. Audible.co.uk (owner by Amazon) has an unabridged version but of course we in the states can't get that one. Go figure.Don't Buy this Abominable Abridgement
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What would have made Matter better?
The book was great; it's just that most of it wasn't in the audible recording.Didn't realize this was an abridged performance
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Do not purchase.
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On the plus side, I will never be suckered again by purchasing anything "abridged." I read the original novel in hardcover when it first came out, and this was like the "made-for-television" version of a bad paperback.
Not worth the time or money in the abridged version. I wish I could not even give it one star overall.
[Reviewer's note: "Please note: Audible posts reviews at its discretion"]
Tragedy done to the Culture
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Bad abridgment of a very good book
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