This is part of Banks' Culture series, a space opera which examines the motivations and actions of an immensely powerful but, to their minds at least, well-meaning civilisation. Hard not to see this as an allegory, sympathetic to the Culture but recognising some of their shortcomings. Not sure whether I'd prefer to fall into the hands of Contact Section or the CIA...

Banks uses a huge canvas but zooms down to intimate details in characterisation and description, giving all of his novels a richness and texture that sets them apart. This is great science fiction, with action, humour and philosophy blended into a usually-harmonious whole.

Well recommended.

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