Of all the Iain Banks books I’ve read (both science-fiction and not),
Stonemouth has been the least chimerical. A realistic world with
realistic characters... even our protagonist isn’t so much a hero as
someone to whom things happen. That isn’t to say the book is ordinary.
Falling outs with Scottish crime families, flashbacks to the deaths of
childhood friends, the excitement of new love and a healthy dose of
tension and violence make for an interesting read well within the
realm of present-day possibility.

I still prefer Banks’ science-fiction, and to a lesser degree his
darker/stranger fiction (such as The Bridge and The Wasp Factory). But
Stonemouth should be a fine read especially for those who shy away at
the mention of outer-space, sentient A.I.s, or nested dream sequences,
but still want to be transported to a place and story they don't mind visiting.