Maybe something regarding the narrative structure first: The book consists of two almost unconnected stories and the chapters take turns telling one or the other.

One is about a doctor and her apprentice while the other covers the bodyguard to the regicide and current ruler. Both the doctor and the bodyguard are members of the Culture acting undercover as locals. Apart from occasional references to places/characters in the other story, they are only connected by the pro- and epilogue. The first 80% of the book I found quite boring. Maybe it would have been better if it had not been part of the Culture series. Apart from some references and one rather more explicit instance, this book works entirely without the greater Culture context. It’s probably an expectations thing. According to Banks, he tried to “write a Culture novel that wasn’t”. I’d say he succeeded in this endeavor. It’s not badly written at all, quite the opposite. I just expected a few more Culture minds, drones and conflicts instead of a regional empire with the technological and societal level of medieval Europe and was disappointed chapter after chapter. Towards the end though - about when Perrund tells young Lattens a story about Dawn - I finally became invested in the characters and the story. Looking back now I’ve come to appreciate many moments I had dismissed earlier, realizing how many subtle hints, nods and not quite so subtle foreshadows there were. Just two days ago, I thought this was the most boring book of Banks’ I had read so far. Now I think it’s one of the best, definitely up there with Player of Games and Use of Weapons.