“A Song of Stone” is set in the aftermath of what appears to have been a long and devastating war – though at no point is any indication of its causes, or even who was fighting. While the war itself may even be over – it’s hard to tell, with no real communication between different parts of the country – it’s left anarchy behind : food and fuel are scarce, while there are regular skirmishes between a number of roaming factions. The story is told by Abel, an aristocrat with a title – albeit, apparently, a minor one. As the book opens, he and his beloved Morgan are abandoning their castle – hoping to avoid the sort of people it would probably attract. Unfortunately, they are captured early in their journey by a band of partisans who – as Abel feared – viewed the couple’s home as an excellent base of operations. Abel and Morgan are taken back to their home – now, as trapped by the castle’s walls as they are protected by it.

The book is told entirely from Abel’s point of view – “I wonder at the lieutenant and the history of her men”. Gradually, hints of his former life are given, much of it involving the development of his relationship with Morgan. Little, on the other hand, is told of the lieutenant or her men – even their real names are withheld. The language and style used is very descriptive at times, lyrical and nearly pretentious in places. For all his attempts to romanticise his thoughts, his feelings and his past, however, I found Abel to be an increasingly dislikeable character : for a member of the nobility, there was very little noble about him. In fact, as the book went on, I wasn’t even convinced Morgan felt any real warmth towards him. For someone who hasn’t read anything by Banks, I’m not sure I’d recommend this as a starting point – “Whit” and “The Crow Road” would possibly be a better introduction. However, “A Song of Stone” is certainly worth reading.