A birthday request (thanks Joe), after reading about how influential this book and Culture series is on Silicon Valley super-nerd, super-rich, tech entrepreneurs. Let me see what all the fuss is about!

(11/07/17) Oops I forgot to write a review...so will have to rely on my faulty rememberer! This almost defines 'space opera', a huge expanse of time and place (the whole universe) and all the SF tropes you would expect. The central battle of a human society acting like machines (the Culture) and the aliens human-like warrior zealots (the Idirans) plays alongside one man's (the mercenary Changer, Bora Horza Gobuchul) attempt to break away from the game and get back home. I won't give away the end. This feels like a standalone story but it is obviously part of a huge successful series, which I look forward to The Player of Games next.

*Spoiler*
And a poignant epilogue, 'the [rescued] Mind becomes a starship, and names itself the Bora Horza Gobuchul.'

This is going on the little bookshelf in the corner of the reception/lounge.

If you find this book, welcome to book crossing. Enjoy :)

I found this book on 26 October 2017, in a dark corner of the lounge at the White Swan Hotel in Criccieth; I was looking for something to read, et voila! I left another novel there (alas not trackable). The book was great, and provided a pleasant distraction on the long flight from Heathrow to Montreal. I was going to leave it in the wilds of Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada, but my daughter happened by and took it with her to read first.