Look to Windward (Culture, #7)
by Iain M. Banks
Look to Windward by Iain M. Banks holds a highly rated rating of 4.16 out of 5, based on 13.9K reader ratings. First published in 2000. The book spans 496 pages.
About Look to Windward
The Twin Novae battle had been one of the last of the Idiran war, one of the most horrific. Desperate to avert defeat, the Idirans had induced not one but two suns to explode, snuffing out worlds & biospheres teeming with sentient life. They were attacks of incredible proportion - gigadeathcrimes. But the war ended and life went on. Now, 800 years later, light from the 1st explosion is about to reach the Masaq' Orbital, home to the Culture's most adventurous & decadent souls. There it will fall upon Masaq's 50 billion inhabitants, gathered to commemorate the deaths of the innocent & to reflect, if only for a moment, on what some call the Culture's own complicity in the terrible event.Also journeying to Masaq' is Major Quilan, an emissary from the war-ravaged world of Chel. In the aftermath of the conflict that split his world apart, most believe he has come to Masaq' to bring home Chel's most brilliant star & self-exiled dissident, the honored Composer Ziller. Ziller claims he will do anything to avoid a meeting with Quilan, who he suspects has come to murder him. But the Major's true assignment will have far greater consequences than the death of a mere political dissident, as part of a conspiracy more ambitious than even he can know--a mission his superiors have buried so deeply in his mind that even he can't remember it. Hailed by SFX magazine as "an excellent hopping-on point if you've never read a Banks SF novel before," Look to Windward is an awe-inspiring immersion into the wildly original, vividly realized civilization Banks calls the Culture.
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| Author | Iain M. Banks |
| Published | 2000 |
| Pages | 496 |
| Genres | Science Fiction, Fiction, Fantasy |
| Average Rating | 4.16 / 5.00 |
| Total Ratings | 13,916 |
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Frequently Asked Questions
What genre is Look to Windward?
Look to Windward is categorized as Science Fiction, Fiction, Fantasy. Its primary genre classification is Fantasy.
Is Look to Windward worth reading?
Based on 13.9K reader ratings, Look to Windward has an average score of 4.16 out of 5.00, which is considered "Highly Rated."
How many pages is Look to Windward?
Look to Windward has 496 pages.
Who wrote Look to Windward?
Look to Windward was written by Iain M. Banks. It was first published in 2000.
What is the ISBN for Look to Windward?
The ISBN-13 for Look to Windward is 9780743421930.0.
Data sourced from community book ratings and reviews. Last updated: April 15, 2026
