Book Series Guide

Author guide

Iain M. Banks Books in Order

Iain Menzies Banks (1954–2013) was a Scottish author and composer from Fife. He published literary fiction as Iain Banks and science fiction as Iain M. Banks. His work ranges from literary novels and space opera to short fiction, travel nonfiction, poetry, and visual art. He is best known for the nine Culture novels and the related short-fiction collection The State of the Art.

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Iain M. Banks's Newest Book

Not sure where to begin?

Start with one of these

Consider Phlebas

The first Culture novel and the natural publication-order entry point to the series.

The Player of Games

A highly accessible standalone Culture novel and a strong entry point to the series.

The Wasp Factory

Banks's debut novel and the clearest starting point for his literary fiction.

Read in order

Books by series

series · complete

The Culture

A science-fiction series about the Culture, an egalitarian post-scarcity civilization whose society is shaped by its relationship with sentient artificial intelligences. The series comprises nine novels and the short-fiction collection The State of the Art.

Series guide →
  1. 1
    Consider Phlebas

    Book 1 · novel · 1987

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  2. 2
    The Player of Games

    Book 2 · novel · 1988

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  3. 3
    The State of the Art

    Book 3 · short-story-collection · 1991 Optional

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  4. 4
    Use of Weapons

    Book 4 · novel · 1990

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  5. 5
    Excession

    Book 5 · novel · 1996

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  6. 6
    Inversions

    Book 6 · novel · 1998

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  7. 7
    Look to Windward

    Book 7 · novel · 2000

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  8. 8
    Matter

    Book 8 · novel · 2008

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  9. 9
    Surface Detail

    Book 9 · novel · 2010

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  10. 10
    The Hydrogen Sonata

    Book 10 · novel · 2012

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Outside the series

Bibliography by category

Novels (19)
  1. The Wasp Factory

    novel · 1984

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  2. Walking on Glass

    novel · 1985

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  3. The Bridge

    novel · 1986

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  4. Espedair Street

    novel · 1987

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  5. Canal Dreams

    novel · 1989

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  6. The Crow Road

    novel · 1992

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  7. Complicity

    novel · 1993

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  8. Against a Dark Background

    novel · 1993

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  9. Feersum Endjinn

    novel · 1994

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  10. Whit

    novel · 1995

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  11. A Song of Stone

    novel · 1997

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  12. The Business

    novel · 1999

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  13. Dead Air

    novel · 2002

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  14. Raw Spirit

    nonfiction · 2003

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  15. The Algebraist

    novel · 2004

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  16. The Steep Approach to Garbadale

    novel · 2007

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  17. Transition

    novel · 2009

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  18. Stonemouth

    novel · 2012

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  19. The Quarry

    novel · 2013

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Poetry (1)
  1. Poems

    poetry-collection · 2015

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Other (1)
  1. The Culture: The Drawings

    art-book · 2023

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