Affront

[Allegra]

Affront, the fascinating species in Excession have such strange physiques - best described on wiki:

An average adult Affronter's body consists of a floating, bulbous mass about two metres in diameter, which hangs from a frilled gas sac one to five metres in diameter depending on their desired buoyancy and which can be deflated and covered by protective plates.
Six to eleven tentacles of varying length and thickness grow from the central mass, of which at least four end in leaf shaped paddles. Many affronters have lost one or more tentacles in combat or duels. Beaks on the front and rear of the central mass cover the creature's mouth and genitals, respectively. The eyes and ears are held on stalks above the fore beak (they also have a sensor bump atop the gas sac). An anus/gas vent is located in the bottom centre of the main body. The latter is one of their sources of propulsion, though they usually 'walk' on their limbs or 'paddle' through the air unless in a hurry.

I found very difficult to picture it in my mind. Can anyone draw a picture of it?

 

[gully_foyle]

I just imagined a leathery medusa jellyfish with attitude and an annoyingly raucous laugh.

Something like this pic (add your own eye stalks).

Propelled by ones own farts, now there's an unpleasant thought. Even if their atmosphere was breathable, I'd still be wearing my gelsuit.

 

[Rodders]

Pyan's going to love those Tentacles.

 

[Allegra]

LOL! That's quite close. The beaks and eye stalks are the tricky part.

Oh yes the gelsuit is definitely a MUST! (I still can't believe Byr really wanted to become one of those!)

 

[Rodders]

I think that he enjoyed their attitudes though rather than their looks. (Understandable.)

 

[Allegra]

True but it puzzles me even more because a major part of their attitudes is treating other lesser species with playful brutality and sadism. Byr must be really bored of Culture! In fact I wouldn't mind the war-against-Affront conspirator Minds got their way but then it won't be a good book.

 

[Rodders]

Wasn't part of the story involve the Affont being a little embarressed about the power (military might) that the Culture was actually capable of? I seem to remember them coming off as a bit arrogant and that the Affront actually thought that they could take on the Culture. Maybe i'm just miss-remembering it.

 

[Ursa major]

True but it puzzles me even more because a major part of their attitudes is treating other lesser species with playful brutality and sadism.

And they were not much friendleir to their own young, if my memory serves me correctly. (They are not the only one of Banks's aliens to do this; I seem to recall the Dwellers having this tendency in The Algebraist.)

 

[Allegra]

Wasn't part of the story involve the Affont being a little embarressed about the power (military might) that the Culture was actually capable of? I seem to remember them coming off as a bit arrogant and that the Affront actually thought that they could take on the Culture. Maybe i'm just miss-remembering it.

Well, The Affront knew they had no match against the Culture but - (spoiler) - they were tricked into starting the war and thought they could win if they got the super power from Excession.

And they were not much friendleir to their own young, if my memory serves me correctly. (They are not the only one of Banks's aliens to do this; I seem to recall the Dwellers having this tendency in The Algebraist.)

Yes I think Banks enjoys to create blood thirsty aliens such as Ibirans, Azads, The Eaters... Otherwise, what's the reason for Special Circumstances to meddle with alien affairs? Civilising uncivilised species is the Culture's hobby (and who can blame them)!

 

[J-WO]

Wasn't part of the story involve the Affont being a little embarressed about the power (military might) that the Culture was actually capable of? I seem to remember them coming off as a bit arrogant and that the Affront actually thought that they could take on the Culture. Maybe i'm just miss-remembering it.

Its interesting to compare Excession with Consider Phlebas. Both books with a warlike enemy, but the Culture's response is different. Apart from a reactionary minority of plotters, the Culture seems to have matured by Excession, having learned by its mistakes.

 

[gully_foyle]

While we're on it, can someone sketch a Dweller? I kind of envisioned two jellyfish globes (as above) stuck together ala a yo-yo, and then dressed up in a garish military costume.

 

[Andrew Short]

Yeah I found the affront particularly tricky to picture in my mind aswell.