I think a lot of people are frightened of technology and frightened of change, and the way to deal with something you're frightened of is to make fun of it. That's why science fiction fans are dismissed as geeks and nerds.
Iain BanksA lot of what the 'Culture' is about is a reaction to all the science fiction I was reading in my very early teens.
Iain BanksHalf the fun of writing a novel is finding out from other people later on what you actually meant.
Iain BanksAs long as a film stays unmade, the book is entirely yours, it belongs to the writer. As soon as you make it into a film, suddenly more people see it than have ever read the book.
Iain Banks