I haven’t read all of Iain M. Banks The Culture series, but I highly recommend Use of Weapons. I’ve read it three times, and it gets better each time.
It’s not a bad introduction to The Culture, but please feel free to recommend another novel to start with, or your favourite. I’ve read this, Look to Windward, Consider Phlebas, and The Player of Games. As I recall, Look to Windward has some good descriptions of a large Culture ship.
I’d also love to hear your favourite ship name.
Edit: I see I added The to the title…
I love Use of Weapons. But it is one of the darker ones … the Chairmaker …
I’m not entirely set on it, but I think I’d recommend The Hydrogen Sonata as an entry into the series.
That’s odd as Hydrogen Sonata felt very much like an ending to me. I know Banks didn’t know it would be his last Culture book at the time, but the themes are very much leaning that way.
Oh he didn’t plan it? that’s nuts.
It felt very “bring it to a close” to me.
Thanks. Always up for Bank lore.
It has an “end theme”, not of the Culture, though.