consider phlebas

We come to an end of the journey for the first of The Culture books.

Fear not we shall return soon for The Player of Games.

We come to an end of the journey for the first of The Culture books.

Fear not we shall return soon for The Player of Games.

It's a big episode with a big body count!

But finally we finish up in these goddamn tunnels! 

It's a big episode with a big body count!

But finally we finish up in these goddamn tunnels! 

We get to learn a lot more about Idirans, and trains, in a chapter that spends a lot of time setting up the finale!

We get to learn a lot more about Idirans, and trains, in a chapter that spends a lot of time setting up the finale!

The drone makes some jokes, the Idirans are mean, and Yalson has a big surprise!

The drone makes some jokes, the Idirans are mean, and Yalson has a big surprise!

The KFC ventures deep under Schar's World, while through Fal's musings we learn the history of the Culture.

The KFC ventures deep under Schar's World, while through Fal's musings we learn the history of the Culture.

The KFC on the CAT finally makes it to Schar's World and Horza's misspent youth catches up with him.

The KFC on the CAT finally makes it to Schar's World and Horza's misspent youth catches up with him.

A madcap escape, the arsenal of the end of the universe, a plucky drone, and the immense drag of being a galactic warlord with a young dude hitting on you.

A madcap escape, the arsenal of the end of the universe, a plucky drone, and the immense drag of being a galactic warlord with a young dude hitting on you.

Horza goes to a very bad place... some might say he's lucky to escape...

Horza goes to a very bad place... some might say he's lucky to escape...

In the staggering vastness of the Vavatch Orbital Kraiklyn's Free Company try their hands at maritime salvage.

But what is this Damage game Kraiklyn's really thinking about?

In the staggering vastness of the Vavatch Orbital Kraiklyn's Free Company try their hands at maritime salvage.

But what is this Damage game Kraiklyn's really thinking about?

Things go as you might expect for Kraiklyn's Free Company in combat.

And we finally get a look at the Culture on its own turf.

Things go as you might expect for Kraiklyn's Free Company in combat.

And we finally get a look at the Culture on its own turf.