B | Prose

Banks, Iain M.

The Algebraist

It had thought it would be safe out here, just one more ambiently black speck deep-chilled in the vast veil of icy debris wrapping the outer reaches of the system like a frozen, tenuous shroud of tissue.

Consider Phlebas

The level was at his top lip now.

Excession

(GCU Grey Area signal sequence file #n428857/119)
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Feersum Endjinn

Then, it was as though everything was stripped away: sensation, memory, self, even the notion of existence that underlies reality - all seemed to have vanished utterly, their passing marked only by realisation that they had dissapeared, before that too ceased to have any meaning, and for an indefinite, infinite instant, there was only the awareness of something; something that possesed no mind, no purpose and no thought, except the knowledge that it was.

Inversions

The only sin is selfishness.

Look to Windward

Near the time we both knew I would have to leave him, it was hard to tell which flashes were lightning and which came from the energy weapons of the Invisibles.

The Player of Games

This is a story of a man who went far away for a long time, just to play a game.

Matter

The place had to be some sort of old factory or workshop or something.

The State of the Art: Road of Skulls

The ride's a little bumpy on the famous Road of Skulls ...

The State of the Art: A Gift From The Culture

Money is a sign of poverty.

The State of the Art: Odd Attachment

Depressed and dejected, his unrequited love like a stony weight inside him, Fropome looked longingly at the sky, then shook his head slowly and stared disconsolately down at the meadow in front of him.

The State of the Art: Descendant

I am down, fallen as far as I am going to.

The State of the Art: Cleaning Up

The first Gift fell onto a pig farm in New England.

The State of the Art: Piece

Hi kid.

The State of the Art: The State of the Art

I do hope you will accept my apologies for keeping you waiting so long.

The State of the Art: Scratch

No one likes to think about what No one likes to think No one likes to think about what might happen happen in the event of your Large Tax-Free Bonus Tax Free Bonus but have you provided for your family should your Tax Free Bonus Home Fire Alarm will protect your family Large Tax Free better than almost any product Can you afford not to be without this inexpensive Easy Credit Terms Available Easy Easy Easy Credit Terms Available Will not damage carpets.

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B | Prose