"A classic. While somewhat thin in plot and rather banal in character development, Pohl keeps us intrigued and wondering until the very end. Avoid the remainder of the series."
"Banks' ubiquitous utopian vision, the Culture, is neatly offset by both a medieval-like space-faring society and a somewhat atypical Culture citizen."
"More Culture, this one looking closer at the AIs running the show. Despite the plots clear overtones of space opera, Banks maintains his originality throughout"
