{"product_id":"book-hb8d","title":"The State of the Art","description":"\u003cb\u003eFrom \u003c\/b\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003eNew York Times \u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cb\u003eb\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003eestselling\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cb\u003eand modern master of science fiction, Iain M. Banks, \u003c\/b\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003eThe State of the Art \u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cb\u003eis the acclaimed collection of Banks's short fiction. \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e “Banks is a phenomenon…writing pure science fiction of a peculiarly gnarly energy and elegance.” –William Gibson\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e This is a striking addition to the body of Culture lore, and adds definition and scale to the previous works by using the Earth of 1977 as contrast. The stories in the collection range from science fiction to horror, dark-coated fantasy to morality tale. All bear the indefinable stamp of Iain Banks's staggering talent.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e “Few of us have been exposed to a talent so manifest and of such extraordinary breadth.” –\u003ci\u003eNew York Review of Science Fiction\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e “[Banks] can summon up sense-of-wonder Big Concepts you've never seen before and display them with narration as deft as a conjuror's fingers.\" –\u003ca href=\"http:\/\/scifi.com\" title=\"http:\/\/scifi.com\"\u003escifi.com\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eThe Culture series:\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eConsider Phlebas\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe Player of Games\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eUse of Weapons\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe State of the Art\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eExcession\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eInversions\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eLook to Windward\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eMatter\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eSurface Detail\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe Hydrogen Sonata\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e","brand":"Hachette Book Group","offers":[{"title":"Audiobook","offer_id":49348491215152,"sku":"BDhb8d","price":24.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0879\/2784\/9264\/files\/hb8d-Square-cover.jpg?v=1778165186","url":"https:\/\/downpour.com\/products\/book-hb8d","provider":"Downpour","version":"1.0","type":"link"}