Iain (M.) Banks is the prolific, best-selling author of twenty-eight books, thirteen marketed as science fiction under the name Iain M. Banks and fifteen as Iain Banks marketed as mainstream or literary fiction. In 2008, The Times named Banks in their list of “The 50 greatest British writers since 1945.” In addition to numerous nominations over the years, The Algebraist (2005) won the Hugo and the Locus Awards. His popular Culture series is often credited with launching the movement of New Space Opera in science fiction.

“And if we tamper with our inheritance, so what? What is more ours to tamper with? What makes nature more right than us? If we get it wrong that’s because we are stupid, not because the idea was bad. And if we are no longer on the breaking edge of the wave, well, too bad. Hand on the baton; best wishes; have fun.”

– Iain M. Banks