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 just started reading the series. Started just with the first one. Really enjoyed it, it reads like an action movie. Reading the second one. Starts a bit slow, but it’s starting to suck me in as well. (don’t remember the names, the books have such weird names :))
If I end up enjoying it as well, I’ll just keep going probably. This post makes me want to read them all :)
2 is actually really good, it goes downhill for me personally after that till maybe hydrogen.