Consider Phlebas

The first novel in the Culture series, Consider Phlebas' protagonist is an enemy of the Culture, an Idiran spy. His mission is to retrieve a Culture mind (a sentient machine) that evaded Idiran capture. The real beauty of this novel (beyond the exquisitely layered language, worldbuilding and plot) is that it sets up the reader to view the Culture as a questionable force in the universe, while all the other novels in the series have Culture protagonists! From the get-go to the very end, I found myself disliking the Culture, and yet fascinated by Banks' world. I'll definitely be purchasing the other novels in the series. Cannot recommend enough.

I went into this book with high hopes based on recommendations from others. It sets up an interesting universe, and I very well may check out additional books in this universe, but I can't say that I was particularly thrilled by this book itself.

The plot wandered all over the place, usually at an unbearably slow pace. I felt like far too much time was spent setting up a couple of key moments that most people probably saw coming from 50+ pages away.

I've read some of Banks' other works and liked them a lot more. As one of his earlier works that does manage to setup an interesting setting maybe I should cut it more slack, but I just don't feel that it holds up that well.