Iain M. Banks’s brilliant new Culture novel THE HYDROGEN SONATA (UK | US | ANZ), just published last week, is delighting fans and critics alike and will hit #4 on the Sunday Times bestseller chart this weekend. Everyone at Orbit would like to offer our congratulations to Iain for this wonderful achievement, which continues the stellar success of the Culture novels.

THE HYDROGEN SONATA has already received some high praise:

“Banks has created one of the most enduring and endearing visions of the future . . . The Hydrogen Sonata confirms his pre-eminence in the field” – GUARDIAN

“Fantastically good fun that throws in some big ideas about life, the universe and everything” – SCIFI NOW

“Banks’s charming prose and the scale of his imagination continue to delight Culture vultures” – SFX

“The action tumbles along at a dizzying pace, bouncing among a fascinating array of characters and locales. It’s easy to see why Banks’s fertile, cheerfully nihilistic imagination and vivid prose have made the Culture space operas bestsellers and award favorites” – PUBLISHER’S WEEKLY (starred review)

Iain has had a busy couple of weeks, taking part in a Google Hangout with fellow SF authors Peter F. Hamilton and Alistair Reynolds, before embarking on a UK signing tour that took in several cities and included an appearance at Manchester Literary Festival. Many thanks to everyone who attended!

Iain at his Waterstones Piccadilly signing

Iain with Paul and Marc from UK genre website Fantasy Faction