With my introduction to the Culture series being [b:Look to Windward|129135|Look to Windward|Iain M. Banks|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1171981788s/129135.jpg|124371] in 2010, I have been keen to start the series from the beginning. I expected the same effect you get with even good TV shows, where the first season is a bit wishy-washy while the characters and story-lines work out a nice rhythm.

I'm pleased to say that this book most definitely is not trying to find its feet. Banks seems to have established the mechanics of his entire universe and both checked and double-checked it before writing characters around it. It's excellent. If you're into thoughtful science fiction without the simplistic politics/Hollywood false dichotomy of good-vs-bad or black-and-white, then I recommend you jump into the Culture series.

As an aside, unlike [b:Look to Windward|129135|Look to Windward|Iain M. Banks|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1171981788s/129135.jpg|124371], I read this book on my Kindle and it was flawless.