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Culture Series - MacGregor - 08-16-2020
If I was to start reading Iain Banks Culture series where should I begin? What if I could oh my read one book?
RE: Culture Series - Worldtree - 08-16-2020
https://www.reddit.com/r/printSF/comments/11ihjs/suggested_reading_order_for_the_culture_sequence/
If you want to ease in to the series, I suggest you start with the following in this order:
The Player of Games (most accessible culture novel tbh and a good intro)
Excession (focuses a lot on the Culture minds and their interaction with each other)
Use of Weapons (one of my personal favorites)
Anything else - if you have read the above you will have a good feel for how much you like the Culture universe.
Whilst none of the novels require that you have read a previous Culture novel, the more recent (Surface Detail, Hydrogen Sonata) sort of have a background assumption that you at least have a passing familiarity with the Culture.
I would avoid Inversions altogether (not a culture novel imo) and The State of the Art is short stories, only 2 of which are Culture stories IIRC, so only read it if you are a Culture completionist.
RE: Culture Series - Drashner1 - 08-16-2020
In order of my enjoyment of them and why:
Excession - Focuses on the Culture itself - a lot of the earlier Culture novels take place outside the Culture. We see a lot about Culture ships and Orbitals and tech.
Look to Windward - Much the same reasons as Excession - most of the story is set on an orbital. We learn a lot about how the Culture operates internally and what people in the Culture do with their time.
The Player of Games - Set mostly outside the Culture but told from the pov of a Culture citizen. We learn something of how the Culture works and how it deals with/manipulates non-Culture civs. This is also one of what I would deem - 'classic' Culture novels - written early in the series. Excession and Look to Windward are more 'mid-period'.
Most of the other stories are set outside the Culture and a couple of the later ones could plausibly be said to treat the Culture as a secondary element. They are still good, but I like the above better.
Hope this helps,
Todd
RE: Culture Series - MacGregor - 08-16-2020
Thanks for the suggestions guys. I just downloaded The Player of Games on audible.
RE: Culture Series - stevebowers - 08-16-2020
I'm a big fan. Consider Phlebas is a rollocking good adventure story, and Matter is a classic in the Sealed Evil in a Can genre.
I think my favourite is Excession, though. The interactions between the Interesting Times Gang are witty and cynical.
RE: Culture Series - MacGregor - 09-09-2020
Finished, The Player of Games. It was very good, thanks for the recommendation guys.