Emma wrote on Sep 10^th, 2012 at 12:51am:


True, I think certainly one of my favourite characters is Cruz Smiths 'Renko', who took the stage in Gorky Park. They don't come more morose than poor old Arkady Renko, at the begining of Havana Bay he even comes close to suicide, but's saved by somebody else having the same idea, (of killing him) 

Nice to talk to you Emma gotta sleep now goodnight.

yes Renko is a classic.

There are too many !!
  a feast for gluttons.

Back to SF  though... Iain M Banks,...  aka Iain Banks... very intriguing..

David Brin's marvellous and positive look at the future... beginning I think .. with 'The Uplift War'. 

Yes ... he is one of the reverred elders of Sf.
Rather dated now, but I like reading older novels, 'cos they reflect a society .... and it's expectations,  and here we are decades later... and some hold true and some seem blatantly prejudiced ...  non- PC...  I always enjoyed Heinleins robust ethic ....classic good v evil.

I particularly liked the novel.??... where everyone had to have a weapon, and duels were an accepted custom.. all carefully hedged about with rules. 
People went to the planet to engage in  a lottery which involved the ultimate prize.. 
well maybe I have a couple of books mixed up... long time ago now.

Oh Grey?  V Mc Diarmid wrote the book 'Wire in the Blood' ...adapted to a series, seen on ABC  here ....  amongst other standouts.