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Like [b:Excession|12013|Excession (Culture, #5)|Iain M. Banks|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1288930712l/12013.SY75.jpg|1494164], just with more likeable human protagonists.

Good:
I just like it when the Minds play the active role in the story.
It was fun seeing a Culture equivalent civilization!
Dealing with the subliming and immortality in what ended up a last book of the series feels oddly fitting.

Bad:
Book of Truth could have been explored more. Its importance is stated, but not really shown.

Best rogue / thief fantasy novel I've ever read.

Good:
Novel has excellent structure: the pacing, the information delivery, interweaving timelines
Confidence games are exciting and captivating!
Great world-building: there's a sense of history to the world and it feels lived in
Stakes are high, characters die
Locke punching Dona Vorchenza in the face

Bad:
Sabetha "story-line" felt like a tease

Read if you enjoyed previous parts of the Interdependency series.

Good:
Lady Kiva and her dirty mouth.
Interesting revelations about the memory room.

Bad:
Same plot as the previous books: Nadashe plots to depose Cardenia; fails in the end.
Space's wasted on reintroducing old characters and retelling old storylines. More interesting bit about saving the Interdependency is left out.
* Cardenia's victory is rushed.

Read even if you dislike some of the previous Culture series novels.

Good:
This one has it all: ship Minds, likeable human protagonists, galactic conspiracy, space battles, you name it
Expanding upon the series lore with stuff like more Contact divisions and interesting races
Satisfactory ending with most storylines coming together nicely
Greatly imaginative

Bad:
* Pavulean political sub-plot doesn't lead anywhere

Reminded me of Revelation space series by [a:Alastair Reynolds|51204|Alastair Reynolds|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1521740247p2/51204.jpg].

Good:
Worldbuilding is just top-notch; Sursamen Shellworld, its lore & inhabitants, Nameless City slowly uncovered by a waterfall, ...
Mesh-up of fantasy & sci-fi elements.

Bad:
Ending is rushed, storylines left unfinished, most characters just die.
Ferbin's journey is inconsequential.
* Introduces various themes (e.g. surveillance) but doesn't fully explore them.

Read if the [b:Red Moon|38496710|Red Moon|Kim Stanley Robinson|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1520263303l/38496710.SY75.jpg|60137489] left you wanting in the speculative societies department.

Good:
Soft sci-fi at its finest: critical, realistic, well-thought-out, thought provoking society.
Great depictions of life on the Moon.

Bad:
Flat feeling characters.
I had issues with the pacing.
* The plot just wasn't gripping. Events took place, and I could critically think about them, but they did not connect emotionally with me.

Read if you're looking for a space opera set in the Culture universe.

Good:
* The Minds! ♥️ Interesting times gang in particular was delightful! Such gravitas!

Reminded me of [b:Chasm City|89185|Chasm City|Alastair Reynolds|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1309203334l/89185.SY75.jpg|2926628] by [a:Alastair Reynolds|51204|Alastair Reynolds|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1521740247p2/51204.jpg].

Good:
dynamic between Diziet & Skaffen-Amtiskaw
2 storylines were a bit confusing at first but made the ending really gripping
big reveal has enough foreshadowing to make it enjoyable

Bad:
present time storyline is basically succession of fetch quests (with infinite resources at each step)
* I would have liked more insight into the chair incident (how does one do that?)

Reminded me of:
[b:The Stars My Destination|1258746|The Stars My Destination|Alfred Bester|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1182313330l/1258746.SY75.jpg|1398442]

Good:
space politics!
a lot of interesting concepts scientifically accepted tarot, work revolutionized by cybernetics, ...
has some interesting romantic elements

Bad:
at times fees self indulgent
I really hate the trope of a driven yet abusive leader that inspires devotion in their followers despite bullying them
* flat & boring antagonist/supporting characters

Read even if you disliked the first Culture series novel [b:Consider Phlebas|535073|Consider Phlebas (Culture, #1)|Iain M. Banks|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1340803242l/535073.SY75.jpg|14366].

Good:
classic sci-fi premise space emperor elected through an ultimate board-game competition
relatable protagonist
works on both sociological & psychological levels
story is well paced & nicely wrapped up

Bad:
would be more interesting if the empire wasn't sadistically evil
using masculine pronouns for 3rd alien gender feels like a wasted opportunity