Iain Banks&#x27; _The Crow Road_ starts like this:<p>&gt; It was the day my grandmother exploded. I sat in the crematorium, listening to my Uncle Hamish quietly snoring in harmony to Bach’s Mass in B minor, and I reflected that it always seemed to be death that drew me back to Gallanach.<p>Fantastic book, with possibly the best opening line ever, and yes, she does have a pacemaker.<p><a href="http:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.tor.com&#x2F;2009&#x2F;06&#x2F;22&#x2F;a-funny-book-with-a-lot-of-death-in-it-iain-banks-the-crow-road&#x2F;" rel="nofollow">http:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.tor.com&#x2F;2009&#x2F;06&#x2F;22&#x2F;a-funny-book-with-a-lot-of-dea...</a>