British Author Challenge May 2026: MM Kaye & Iain M. Banks

MM Kaye is best remembered for The Far Pavilions, a sweeping romantic epic set in India during the Raj, but I wanted to feature her because of a different book: The Ordinary Princess, a delightfully unsentimental children's tale.

Wikipedia page

Selected works
The Far Pavilions
The Ordinary Princess
Death in . . . series
Trade Wind
Shadow of the Moon
The Sun in the Morning
Gold Gorse Common

Iain M. Banks is an author who has been on my radar for ages; I decided to feature him after reading Excession last year and being blown away by it. He wrote dozens of books in several genres, including a highly regarded sci-fi series, The Culture.

Wikipedia page

Selected works
The Culture series
The Wasp Factory
The Algebraist
Raw Spirit
The Crow Road
A Song of Stone
Espedair Street

I have lots of Banks books to choose from but no MM Kaye and I don't want to re-read The Far Pavilions just yet. I'll see if I can find something of hers.

I've read all the Banks books I was interested in but my son raved about Inversions so I'll give that one a go.
For M.M. Kaye, I have access to quite a lot of her works and will read her Death in Zanzibar as it's been listed in the TIOLI and is already a shared read.

Banks has been on my tbr for ages. I purchased Consider Phlebas a while back in the hopes that would motivate me, but apparently it's takes the BAC to do that. :)

On the other hand, I hope to wallow in M.M. Kaye this month. Many will be rereads, but there are several of her books I still haven't tackled. I'm looking forward to learning what everyone will pick!

That is an INTERESTING COMBINATION!!!!! I was in love with M.M. Kaye in the 70s and Iain M. (and no M.) Banks in the aughties. I would read a Banks now, but I can't seem to make time.

>4 avatiakh: and >5 Dejah_Thoris: Kerry, Inversions was my first Banks and remains my favorite, maybe. Please don't read *Phlebas* first, D_T. I would never have read a second one if I had. Unsolicited advice is always questionable though.

>6 LizzieD: My first Banks scifi was The Player of Games which I really liked. The library lost the copy of Inversions that was on its way to me, so will have to wait for another copy to come.

I liked *Player* too, Kerry. I came back though to say that I was mistaken. I read Excession first - so long ago that what I mainly remember was the woman. That led me to think without checking that I meant Inversions. Now I may have to make time to read it even if I don't have time. It's been sitting on the shelf unread for 24 years, so I guess I've waited long enough.
I hope that you are able to get a copy soon.
Really, *Phlebas* is the only one I didn't like of those I've read. The Phage did me in. I'd love to hear what somebody else thinks.

>8 LizzieD: My son rated both Inversions & Excession. He said that everyone loves Excession but he liked the ideas in Inversions more. I read Consider Plebas in 2010 so don't remember much at all.

>5 Dejah_Thoris: I started Death in Zanzibar earlier today and liked how it starts off. I had to find Zanzibar on google maps, listen to the song, Stowaway, Kaye mentions in the foreword, then Billy Joel's song. My husband mentioned that it's the birthplace of Freddie Mercury. So a busy Zanzibar-related morning for me. Love that the cat is called Asbestos.

>6 LizzieD: If I shouldn't read Consider Phlebas first, what should I read? Does the order for The Culture not matter?

>9 avatiakh: I'm glad you like it so far! I always love Kaye's sense of place.

I've decided I'll go ahead and reread all the mysteries this month. I've actually started with one of the historical novels, though - Shadow of the Moon. I honestly can't decide if I read this one long ago, or if Kaye's writing style is so familiar that it seems, well, familiar. I think it's the latter.

>10 Dejah_Thoris: I'll suggest The Player of Games as it's a good read and much shorter than some of the other Culture books. I don't think order matters too much with this one at least.

I am very much at the mercy of my local library for this month's authors as I do not own anything by either of them. I will be reading Death in Berlin by M. M. Kaye for this month - I was lucky that my local library even had that one!

I just saw that the Kindle (US) version of Shadow of the Moon is $3.99.

And speaking of Shadow of the Moon, I just finished it. It was lovely. Well, as lovely as a book about the Sepoy Rebellion / First War of Independance (among other names) can be.

I'll be more than happy to discuss it if anyone else gets the chance to read it.:)

>12 alcottacre: I think Kaye's books are old enough that many libraries have let them go, just like most of Shute's novels. It always makes me sad to see older books I like pushed out, but at least these days older books are increasingly available in ebook formats.

>13 Dejah_Thoris: It always makes me sad to see older books I like pushed out - me too. My local library used to have a lot of older books but when it had the fire several years ago and had to redesign the library, many of those books were disposed of. Such a shame.

Finished Death in Zanzibar, it was an entertaining if somewhat dated read. Fun and will probably read a few more of Kaye's 'Death in...' books

I finished Death in Berlin which is well-served by the author's own experiences in Berlin post-WWII. I echo Kerry's thought above: "Fun and will probably read a few more of Kaye's 'Death in...' books"

Forget to mention I read Feersum Endjinn earlier this year. I'm currently at the 20% mark on Consider Phlebas and am itching to get back to it.

I’ve started The Far Pavillions. It’s a really big book, but it’s an easy read, so I’m already halfway through. It definitely feels like an older book. Don’t know what it is, people don’t write epic novels anymore?

>18 EllaTim: I think epics are mostly fantasies these days.

>19 amanda4242: Yes! I was comparing the book with a fantasy, actually.

So far, I've made no progress with Banks, but I've read Shadow of the Moon, Death in Kashmir, Death in Berlin, and am about halfway through the first volume of Kaye's autobiography, The Sun in the Morning.

As I think I posted earlier, I really enjoyed Shadow of the Moon. The Death In... mysteries are old favorites - I'm always happy to revisit them.

I'm finding The Sun in the Morning fascinating. She writes of her ancestors (Indian Civil Service and China Missionaries) and her marvelous childhood in India. I find Kaye's writing, particularly her descriptions, beautiful. Thank goodness her parents were remarkably liberal; while inherent inequalities abound, Kaye is surprisingly modern in her thinking for a woman born in 1908.

I'm still planning on getting to The Far Pavillions, Death in Zanzibar, and The Ordinary Princess (as recommended by Amanda).

If anyone is interested, the Kindle version of Death in the Andamans is currently $2.99 in the US. I've been surprised at how difficult it's been for many to find Kaye's books in libraries, particularly the mysteries. Oh well, just because I love them doesn't mean everyone does!

I finished The Far Pavillions by M.M. Kaye. Reviews call it an epic adventure. I thought it was very interesting, telling a lot about India, and Afhanistan, but even more about the British army and colonial attitudes. The third part, set in Afghanistan is almost prophetic for what has happened there recently. I did have to make an effort to finish as there were parts that I had some trouble with and it’s a big book.

>21 Dejah_Thoris: I thought her landscape descriptions really beautiful. I looked up some of her background, because it often helps to know a bit more of that. I would like to read that autobiography now!

I am about half done with Surface Detail and hope to get to Kaye yet.

I completed Iain M. Banks Surface Detail number 8 in the Culture Series. This is science fiction. A complex novel, long. It can be read as a stand alone.
My review has been posted.

I completed my reread of Death in Zanzibar, which was another shared read for a TIOLI Challenge. Dani is so young and naive! Aside from the beautiful descriptions of Zanzibar, I think the thing I most appreciate in this novel is the early chapters of the book detailing travel by air from London. She somehow manages to convey the tedium of lengthy air travel of the time (refueling stops, etc.) without it actually being tedious for the reader.

I've also finished The Sun in the Morning, volume one of Kaye's three volume autobiography. It was excellent. I won't go into tremendous detail, but it is absolutely clear that Kaye loved India deeply.

Kaye was born in Simla (now Shimla), and her family would split the year between Simla and Delhi. A family friend would take them to visit Agra where Kaye and her sister Bets would play at the Taj Mahal. This was primarily during WWI when there were few tourists, domestic or international. They were allowed to play in the gardens and in and around the structure itself, making friends with the caretakers, and the Indian children of the few families who visited. I have to admit this absolutely blew my mind.

>22 EllaTim: I'm on to The Far Pavillions! I'm enjoying it so far. I obviously would encourage you to read her autobiography, but the mysteries are much shorter reading!

The June thread is up!

https://www.librarything.com/topic/384636