Ahh, the long awaited Culture re-read. I don't think I have read this one in 25 years or so. This is Banks dark mirror held up to his utopian ideal society. He is trying very hard to play devil's advocate but ends up making trenchant points about fanaticism. So, from that perspective I don't think he achieved what he set out to achieve. This is still a rollicking read though, apart from the unnecessary (imo) Eaters section. It is a great introduction to his idea and has what became the trademark aftertaste of pathos that I think every Culture novel has.