Iain Banks, Crow Road

Having come to Iain Banks's books via the sci fi route (writing as Iain M Banks), I am consistently impressed with the way his writing can cross genres so fluidly, with the context and setting of each so vividly portrayed without ever seeming forced.

Unlike many of Banks's other books, which tend to explore the darker elements of human nature, The Crow Road is basically a rather warm, genial beast, whose characters are by and large well meaning if complex souls.

The premise of the novel is simple; our hero explores as a young adult the baffling and intricate history of his family, as he tries to piece together the truth from his childhood memories. As we would hope, given such a background issues such as identity, religion, friendship and love, are paramount, and we see the hero learn and mature as the book develops. Shades of "The Wonder Years" I hear you cry, and in many regards quite rightly so.

In many respects The Crow Road more closely resembles "Look to Windward" than many of his non sci fi outings. This is seen most clearly in that the plot is arguably secondary to the characters. The focus is on the experiences and perspective of one central character at a particular crucial juncture in his life, rather than the events themselves, which act primarily to contextualise Prentice's inner quest.

Rather than meandering aimlessly along, however, The Crow Road weaves together an intricate web of history and gossip, from which the hero's introspection draws it's fuel, a history in turns warm and chilling, humorous (see the death of the atheist struck by lightning whilst climbing a church spire, or the doctor's disastrous intervention at Grandmother's funeral), and bafflingly complex.

The only weakness (if such it can be called) that stems from this, is the predictability of the ending. Weaned on the sudden paradigm shifting hooks of which Banks is inordinately skilled, I was a little disappointed when the ending devolved into a fairly pedestrian murder mystery, come romance towards the end. This is redeemed though, as our character is then forced to confront the dilemma of whether to reveal his hard won knowledge.

Overall, a brilliant, absorbing book.

Iain Banks, Crow Road - It draws you in from the first, you can't help but be attracted to the way he describes growing up in the colourful way we all remember it, not necessarily full of good memories but often character-building experiences. How we all had that desire to try new things, the first time you get odd feelings about the opposite sex, your heart will fluster right along with the protagonist as he tries to win his teenage sweetheart and the bitter feeling when he slowly loses her to his own brother.