Awards & Adaptations
Awards
- In 1997 Iain received an honorary doctorate from the University of St Andrews
- In 1997 Iain received an honorary doctorate from the University of Stirling
- In 2005 Iain received an honorary doctorate from the University of Glasgow
- In 2010 Iain received an honorary doctorate from the Open University
- In 2013 Iain became an Honorary Fellow of the Association for Scottish Literary Studies
His extraordinary body of work was also frequently honoured.
Awards & Nominations
- 1988 The Player of Games is nominated for the British Science Fiction Association Award
- 1990 Use of Weapons is nominated for the British Science Fiction Association Award
- 1991 The Bridge wins the Kurd-Laßwitz-Preis for Foreign Novel
- 1991 Use of Weapons is nominated for the Arthur C Clarke Award
- 1992 The Wasp Factory wins the Kurd-Laßwitz-Preis for Foreign Novel
- 1993 Use of Weapons wins the Kurd-Laßwitz-Preis for Foreign Novel
- 1994 Feersum Endjinn wins the British Science Fiction Association Award
- 1994 Against a Dark Background is nominated for the Locus Poll Award
- 1996 Excession wins the British Science Fiction Association Award
- 1997 Excession is nominated for the British Fantasy Award
- 1998 Excession wins the Kurd-Laßwitz-Preis for Foreign Novel
- 1998 Inversions is nominated for the British Science Fiction Award
- 2001 Look to Windward is nominated for the Locus Poll Award
- 2004 Inversions wins the Premio Italia Science Fiction Award for Best International Novel
- 2005 The Algebraist is nominated for the Hugo Award
- 2005 The Algebraist is nominated for the Locus Poll Award
- 2009 Matter is nominated for the Locus Poll Award
- 2009 Matter is nominated for the Prometheus Award
- 2010 Transition is a finalist for the John W Campbell Memorial Award
- 2010 Transition is nominated for the Locus Poll Award
- 2011 Surface Detail is nominated for the Locus Poll Award
- 2024 The Culture: The Drawings wins a Locus Award
- 2024 The Culture: The Drawings is nominated for a Hugo Award
- 2025 The Culture: The Drawings Special Edition is nominated in the British Book Awards
- 2025 The Culture reissues are nominated in the British Book Awards
Adaptations
“If I had my way, my only involvement in a film project would consist of signing the contract and then turning up in my kilty outfit on the red carpet.”
Film & TV
In 1996, The Crow Road was adapted as a limited series for the BBC.
Written by Bryan Elsley and produced by Bradley Adams, it was directed by Gavin Millar.
It starred Joe McFadden, Bill Paterson, Peter Capaldi, Valerie Edmond, Stella Gonet, David Robb and Dougray Scott.
In 2000, Complicity was released as a feature film.
Written by Bryan Elsley and produced by Neill Dunn and Richard Jackson, it was directed by Gavin Millar. It starred Jonny Lee Miller, Brian Cox, Keeley Hawes, Bill Paterson, Samuel West and Richard Madden.
In 2015, Stonemouth was adapted as a limited series for the BBC.
Written by David Kane and produced by Alan J Wands, it was directed by Charles Martin.
It starred Ncuti Gatwa, Chris Fulton, Gary Lewis, Peter Mullan and James Young.
Radio
Piece from The State of the Art
Radio 5 adaptation by Craig Warner, 1991
The Crow Road
BBC Radio Scotland adaptation, 1995
The Wasp Factory
Radio 4 abridged serialisation read by Joe McFadden, 1997
Espedair St
Radio 4 dramatised adaptation by Joe Dunlop, 1998
The Business
Radio 4 abridged serialisation read by Valerie Edmonds, 1999
Raw Spirit
Radio 4 Book of the Week abridged serialisation read by Jimmy Chisholm, 2003
The State of the Art
Radio 4’s Afternoon Play adapted by Paul Cornell, 2009
Stage
The Wasp Factory
Adapted by Malcolm Sutherland, premiered at The Citizens Theatre 1992
Revived 1997 and 2008
The Wasp Factory
Opera, libretto by Ben Frost, 2013