I think there must be something about Iain Banks, for better or worse, which just clicks with me as a reader. I say this because I have read a number of reviews of his books on this site and he is nothing if not controversial. I know a lot of people didn't enjoy this but I have to say, I did. However what I would say about The Steep Approach is that the title is appropriate. The story is about the approach, far more than the ending. This book is a journey which ends in a conclusion which I, personally, found underwhelming. It followed the same Banks formula of having a big reveal at the end. However, unlike The Wasp Factory, the reveal doesn't overwhelm or add to the story which leads up to it. Instead I enjoyed more the tale, past and present, of the characters. Banks is an engaging writer, I found myself constantly wanting to keep reading based only on his description, his words, his storytelling. I would recommend other books which represent him better before this, true, but if you're a Banks fan I would try The Steep Approach.