The second book in the Culture series, yet unrelated to the first book. Most of the story takes place outside the space actually controlled by the Culture but it still offers more insights into the society than it’s predecessor.

“This is the story of a man who went far away for a long time, just to play a game. The man is a game-player called “Gurgeh.” The story starts with a battle that is not a battle, and ends with a game that is not a game.”

Although I liked Consider Phlebas, this one feels a lot more polished and confident. The main and side characters are relatable and have more interesting interactions and the way the multitude of fictional games is described makes them quite believable too. Especially Azad, despite it’s immense complexity. I also like that each book (so far) ends with a short summary of how the involved characters lived the rest of their lives.